Bay Photos by Donna

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Not as easily to find as the prairie dogs and bison in Badlands National Park, so it was a thrill to get a quick sighting of pronghorn on Sage Creek Rim Road.

While we were stopped to watch bison in the distance on my husband’s side of the car, I turned to look out my window to find a male and two female pronghorn coming up a hill cautiously alongside my side of the car.  Right place right time!

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Male and two female pronghorn

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Pronghorn are found only in North America.  They are frequently called antelopes, but they are not nor related to the antelope.  The pronghorn is the only living member left of the family antilocapridae and is most closely related to the giraffe.

Pronghorn have horns, not antlers, hence their name.  The male’s horns are 12-20 inches long and curve in towards each other.  The female’s horns are usually straight, short spikes between 3-4 inches long.

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Female pronghorn beginning to run

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Pronghorn are the fastest land animal in North America, and the second-fastest land animal in the world, following the cheetah.

Pronghorn can run at speeds close to 60 miles an hour.  Although pronghorn are not as fast as cheetahs, they can maintain a fast speed for a longer period of time than cheetahs.

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Male pronghorn beginning to run

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After a short run, the three pronghorn stopped and looked around.  Feeling no threat from the five cars now sitting along the road watching them, the pronghorn continued their trek casually away from all of us and towards a herd of bison.

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Female pronghorn

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Pronghorn moving on, bison in the distance

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They were beautiful, and I truly felt lucky to see them!

More wildlife to come from Badlands National Park…..the rock-climbing Bighorn sheep!

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