Pronghorn get their name from the prominent pair of horns they display on the top of their head. The horns are branched with two points, made of bone, and covered with a keratinous casing which is shed and regrown annually. These animals measure four to five feet long from nose to tail, and are approximately three and a half feet tall. The females weigh around 75-90 pounds, while the males weigh 90-110 pounds. They are reddish-brown in color and have a white stomach, behind, throat, and parts of the facial area are also white.
Breeding season for pronghorn is in mid September. Bucks gather harems of females and protect them from other male pronghorns. Many times they get into battles with each other over the female pronghorn. Gestations period of a pronghorn is typically 235 days. In the spring, the females give birth to one or two fawns. They stay hidden in the vegetation for about 25 days, until they join a “nursery” with other fawns and mothers. Sexually maturity is reached at 15 months but males do not breed until the age of three. The lifespan of a pronghorn in the wild is 10-15 years.
The pronghorn is a species that occupies western and central North America. They live mainly in the grassland regions, but herds can also be found in the deserts. Pronghorns are herbivores and their diet consists of grass, vegetation, cacti, forbs, and shrubs.