Pronghorn, commonly mistaken for antelope, are a unique North American species found in various states, including Texas. While their presence in Texas is confirmed, their distribution within the state is specific to certain ecological regions.
Unique Pronghorn Traits
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) have several distinctive physical attributes. Unlike deer, their “horns” are true horns with a bony core covered by a keratinous sheath, which they uniquely shed and regrow annually, similar to antlers. Both male and female pronghorn can possess these horns, though the male’s are considerably larger, typically ranging from 10 to 12 inches long with a noticeable forward-pointing prong. Females have smaller horns, often straight and sometimes barely visible.
Their physical design is optimized for speed and endurance, making them the fastest land mammal in North America. Pronghorn can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and maintain high speeds for extended periods, an ability believed to have evolved to evade now-extinct predators like the American cheetah. This speed is complemented by their exceptional eyesight, which allows them to detect movement up to four miles away, providing an early warning system in their expansive grassland habitats. Their large eyes offer a wide field of vision, estimated to be comparable to 8x or 10x binoculars.
Pronghorn Habitats in Texas
Pronghorn in Texas are primarily found in the western Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions. These areas, characterized by open grasslands, prairies, and desert scrublands, provide the expansive, unobstructed terrain that pronghorn prefer due to their reliance on speed and keen vision. Historically, pronghorn had a much broader range across the western two-thirds of Texas, extending as far east as Robertson County in the north and Kenedy County in south Texas. Their numbers were once estimated in the millions across these plains.
However, their current distribution is restricted to isolated areas within the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle, with smaller populations also present in the western Edwards Plateau and southern Rolling Plains. The Trans-Pecos region, particularly areas around Marfa and between Alpine and Fort Davis, supports pronghorn populations. The Panhandle also supports a substantial population, with suitable habitat identified in counties like Dallam, Hartley, Moore, and Potter. These regions continue to offer the shortgrass prairie and open landscapes essential for pronghorn to thrive.
Conservation and Population Trends
Pronghorn populations in Texas have fluctuated due to environmental and human factors. Historically, their numbers drastically declined in the late 1800s and early 1900s due to unregulated hunting and habitat alteration, including conversion of native grasslands for agriculture and overgrazing by livestock. By 1924, only about 2,400 pronghorn remained in Texas, prompting a hunting season closure and conservation efforts.
Despite these efforts, including restocking programs that began in 1939, pronghorn populations, particularly in the Trans-Pecos, faced challenges. Declines resulted from drought, habitat fragmentation, disease, and predation. For instance, the Trans-Pecos population saw a sharp decline from approximately 17,000 animals in the mid-1980s to fewer than 3,000 by 2011, largely due to severe drought, which limited fawn recruitment and increased susceptibility to parasites like barber pole worms.
Conservation efforts by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and collaborative groups like the Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Working Group are actively addressing these issues. These initiatives include translocating pronghorn from more stable populations in the Panhandle to supplement Trans-Pecos herds, with improved survival rates of around 70 percent in recent years. Additionally, programs focus on habitat management, such as modifying fences to allow pronghorn to move freely, as they are reluctant to jump over barriers. Research also investigates the impact of diseases and the role of hunting in population management. As of 2022, the Texas pronghorn population stood at approximately 20,000, though ongoing drought conditions continue to pose challenges.