Desert
What is the desert biome?
Source: Sand dunes in Death Valley National Monument, California.
Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earth's surface and occur where rainfall is less than 50
cm/year. Although most deserts, such as the Sahara of North Africa and the deserts of the
southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Australia, occur at low latitudes, another kind of desert, cold
deserts, occur in the basin and range area of Utah and Nevada and in parts of western Asia.
Most deserts have a considerable amount of specialized vegetation, as well as specialized
vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Soils often have abundant nutrients because they need
only water to become very productive and have little or no organic matter. Disturbances are
common in the form of occasional fires or cold weather, and sudden, infrequent, but intense
rains that cause flooding.
There are relatively few large mammals in deserts because most are not capable of storing
sufficient water and withstanding the heat. Deserts often provide little shelter from the sun for
large animals. The dominant animals of warm deserts are nonmammalian vertebrates, such as
reptiles. Mammals are usually small, like the kangaroo mice of North American deserts.
Source: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php
Pronghorn
Both male and female pronghorns have characteristic two-pointed horns, which are composed of
keratin growing over a bony center; the hair-like part of the horn sheds annually.
Photograph by Sam Abell
Map
Pronghorn Range
Fast Facts
Type:
Mammal
Diet:
Herbivore
Average life span in captivity:
11 years
Size:
Head and body, 3.25 to 5 ft (1 to 1.5 m), Tail, 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm)
Weight:
90 to 150 lbs (41 to 68 kg)
Group name:
Band or Herd
Did you know?
The pronghorn is the second fastest land mammal in the world, after the cheetah. It can
attain speeds of over 53 miles (86 kilometers) per hour.
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
Fleet-footed pronghorns are among the speediest animals in North America. They can run at
more than 53 miles (86 kilometers) an hour, leaving pursuing coyotes and bobcats in the dust.
Pronghorns are also great distance runners that can travel for miles at half that speed.
Pronghorns are about three feet (one meter) tall at the shoulders. They are reddish brown, but
feature white stomachs and wide, white stripes on their throats. When startled they raise the hair
on their rumps to display a white warning patch that can be seen for miles.
Both sexes sport impressive, backward-curving horns. The horns split to form forward-pointing
prongs that give the species its name. Some animals have horns that are more than a foot (30
centimeters) long.
Like other even-toed hoofed animals, pronghorns chew cud—their own partially digested food.
The meal of choice for this speedy herbivore is generally grass, sagebrush, and other vegetation.
Pronghorns mate each fall in the dry, open lands of western North America. Bucks gather harems
of females and protect them jealously—sometimes battling rivals in spectacular and dangerous
fights. In the spring, females give birth to one or two young, which can outrun a human after just
a few days.
Pronghorns are hunted throughout much of their natural range, but some subspecies are
endangered.
Source: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/antelope/
NextJournals and Maps Animals Described by Lewis and Clark
image: Pronghorn Antelope
Photograph by Darrell Gulin/Corbis
Pronghorn Antelope
Antilocapra americana
First Noted by Expedition
September 14, 1804, near mouth of Ball Creek, Lyman County, South Dakota.
Description
A medium-size, deerlike mammal. Upper body pale tan or reddish tan; chest, belly, inner legs,
cheeks and lower jaw, sides, and rump patch are white. Height: 35–41 in (88–103 cm); length:
4.1–4.8 ft (1.3–1.5 m); tail: 2.4–6.8 in (6–17 cm). Weight: male 90–140 lb (41–64 kg), female
75–105 lb (34–48 kg).
Habitat
Grasslands, grassy brushlands, and particularly bunchgrass-sagegrass areas.
Range
Southeastern Oregon, southern Idaho, southern
Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, Montana, and western North Dakota south to Arizona and
western Texas.
Note
The fastest animal in the Western Hemisphere and among the fastest in the world, it has been
clocked at 70 mph (110 km/h) for three to four minutes at a time.
From the Expedition Journals
Clark—Friday, September 14, 1804
"In my walk I Killed a Buck Goat [antelope] of this Countrey, about the hight of the Grown Deer,
its body Shorter... the Colour is a light gray with black behind its ears down its neck... Verry
actively made, has only a pair of hoofs to each foot, his brains on the back of his head, his
Norstrals large, his eyes like a Sheep he is more like the Antilope or Gazella of Africa than any
other Species of Goat."
Lewis—Monday, September 17, 1804
"We found the Antelope extreemly shye and watchfull insomuch that we had been unable to get a
shot at them; when at rest they generally seelect the most elivated point in the neighbourhood,
and as they are watchfull and extreemely quick of sight and their sense of smelling very accute it
is almost impossible to approach them within gunshot... they will frequently discover and flee
from you at the distance of three miles [4.8 kilometers]. I had this day an opportunity of
witnessing the agility and the superior fleetness of this anamal which was to me really
astonishing... I beheld the rapidity of their flight along the ridge before me it appeared reather the
rappid flight of birds than the motion of quadrupeds."
Source: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/record_species_045_4_2.html
Source: http://www.southwestclimatechange.org/figures/pronghorn
Endangered Sonoran pronghorn seen as hindering U.S. attempts
to shore up its border
By John R. Platt | July 16, 2010
Protecting the nearly extinct
Sonoran pronghorn in Arizona
is making it more difficult to
prevent illegal immigrants
from entering the U.S., at least
according to Fox News.
"Environmentalists and
governmental stewards have
been repeatedly blocking
customs and border protection
from expanding border
technology in their habitat—
despite complaints that illegal
immigrants are taking
advantage of the security gap
and doing plenty of harm to the environment in the process," wrote Judson Berger of Fox News.
Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis)—a subspecies of the more well-known
pronghorn—have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1967, but that didn’t
prevent them from almost going extinct in this century. In 2003, following several dry years, the
population crashed to just 21 animals. It recovered quickly, rebounding to about 100 by 2006, the
same year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released the first captive-bred Sonoran
pronghorn into the Arizona wild. That didn’t last though: by June 2009, the wild population was
back down to around 70 animals, according to a report earlier this year from The Arizona
Republic.
In addition to the wild Sonoran pronghorn in Arizona, FWS maintains a captive breeding
population of about 70 animals, and two additional herds live in Mexico. Some of the Mexican
animals were brought to the U.S. for the FWS’s breeding program, although transporting the
pronghorn was not without difficulty: Many of imported animals died (pdf) from "capture
myopathy," caused by the buildup of lactic acid in overexerted and overstressed creatures.
To bolster its ability to monitor the border, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is
currently building one communications tower—out of an originally proposed seven—in the
Sonoran pronghorn’s habitat. The FWS blocked the construction of the other six because of their
potential impact on the endangered animals, according to Fox News.
George Nickas, director of Wilderness Watch in Missoula, Mont., told Fox News that all of the
activity from building and then staffing communications stations in the area would harm the
environment, and the pronghorn in the process. As the Arizona Republic article points out, the
Sonoran pronghorn habitat currently has no fences or roads, which the animals do not like to
cross—and which DHS would likely need to build in order to construct and staff its facilities. The
FWS identifies some of the major threats to pronghorn as fences ("pronghorn don’t jump," the
agency says), loss of habitat and vehicle collisions.
Pronghorn look like a cross between antelopes and goats but are actually neither. Their closest
living relatives are, strangely enough, giraffes, but all other members of their taxonomic family
are extinct. The Sonoran pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in North America, with top racing
speeds of more than 95 kilometers per hour.
Source: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2010/07/16/endangered-sonoran-pronghorn-seen-as-hindering-u-s-attempts-toshore-up-its-border/
Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/pronghorn/Pronghorn.shtml
Endangered Sonoran Pronghorn Numbers Recover
Severe Drought Nearly Cost Entire Arizona Population in 2002

May 14, 2007
Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope - Carlo Ruggiero
The Arizona Sonoran pronghorn was nearly lost in 2002. Now, despite a strong comeback,
increased border enforcement and desert fencing still threaten long term survival.
The endangered Sonoran Pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana sonoriensis), often mistakenly
called pronghorn antelope, is recovering in Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona
after the local population dropped from 140 to about 21 animals.
Emergency efforts, including the creation of an electrically fenced area where shelter, water and
forage are provided, have resulted in a strong recovery, with 18 fawns being born in the last 3
months. But the goat sized Sonoran pronghorn are still hampered in their quest for survival by
their inability to jump fences and by increased border enforcement between Mexico and the US.
What is a Pronghorn?
Pronghorn are not antelope but rather their own distinct and ancient species, having been around
for 20 million years. Antelope have antlers but the pronghorn does not. What appear to be antlers
are actually horns. The confusion in classification arose because the Sonoran pronghorn sheds
those horns. Normally one distinction between antlers and horns is that antlers are shed but horns
are not.
The 2002 Arizona Drought and its Aftermath
The 2002 disaster was narrowly averted when rains came early in September. In 2003 efforts to
save the Sonoran pronghorn in the Cabeza Prieta were stepped up. Water and food were hauled to
various sites and the fenced enclosure established.
Today, the population is back over 100 and efforts within the Barry M Goldwater Range, an
aviation testing and training range, to leave large areas undisturbed are helping recovery on land
immediately adjacent to the refuge.
Military staff survey areas intended for training missions. If pronghorn are present, the activities
are moved to another part of the 1.1 million acre range. All of these efforts are helping protect
and increase Sonoran pronghorn numbers along the Mexican border.
Sonoran Pronghorn Habitat Loss
Outside the reserve more and more of the Sonoran desert is fenced. The pronghorn, despite the
ability to run for long distances at 60mph, is hampered by being unable to jump high fences,
unlike their antelope cousins. Don’t fence me in takes on a whole new meaning for this
endangered species.
Illegal Aliens and the Pronghorn
Pressure at some popular border crossing sites has forced illegal aliens to travel through prime
Sonoran pronghorn territory. Sadly, this is a very rough part of the desert and many of the illegals
who take this route do not survive. But their presence has meant a constant Border Patrol
presence within the Cabeza Prieta Refuge, and that restricts the movement of the Sonoran
pronghorn within the reserve as the pronghorn avoid areas where there is constant human
presence.
While border issues are unlikely to resolve in the near future, something is being done to try to
mitigate the fencing problem. Antelope Gate Free Paradise is working to educate ranchers about
the Sonoran pronghorn and to introduce pronghorn friendly fencing in areas outside Cabeza
Prieta National Wildlife refuge. Providing more land for this free ranging species may help
prevent another decline in Sonoran pronghorn populations.
Source: http://dawn-m-smith.suite101.com/sonoran-pronghorn-numbers-recover-a21239
Back Then: Revival of the pronghorn a cause to celebrate
MALCOLM MACKEY | Posted: Saturday, March 31, 2012 5:00 am |
The dictionary defines pronghorn as "each of two projecting points at the end of a fork."
A mesa is defined as an isolated, flat-topped hill with steep sides.
BUNK!
Anderson Mesa is indeed a flat-topped strata with steep sides, but not a hill. It extends from near
Williams to the New Mexico border.
You ask how does the Mesa connect with pronghorn?
Answer: A LOT!
In the 1930s until the winter of 1967, there were large herds of pronghorn antelope roaming
Anderson Mesa and other areas.
Sometime in the late '30s, my father took us out to Ashurst Lake. Once on top of the Mesa, we
encountered a herd of antelope near the road. They came along the passenger side and ran beside
us. The road was rough, so our top speed may not have been much more than 35 mph.
So the herd kept up with us, then started to turn in front of us. My father, being my father, sped
up and "split" the herd.
This was unusual at the time. But the two separate groups gathered together again as we went on.
(My "resource person," Jack Metzger, agrees that antelope can run as fast as 50 mph for a short
distance).
Then, in the winter of '67, northern Arizona had one snowstorm after another leaving seven feet - SEVEN FEET! -- of snow. Anderson Mesa and the lower elevations ONLY received several
feet, but that much snow decimated the antelope herds. They couldn't find anything to eat.
Arizona Game & Fish (or another government agency) dropped bales of field-grown alfalfa hay
from airplanes, but the animals were unable to digest it. The antelope had been eating range grass,
so the poor beasties continued to starve to death.
Finally (and the newspaper mentioned it), hay the antelope could digest was flown in from
someplace, but that was almost too little too late.
However, the news today is very encouraging. County Supervisor Mandy Metzger and husband
Jack live among 'em and are ranch-wise.
Mandy reported seeing a herd of 20 antelope driving back to I-40 from the Metzger ranch (Flying
M) at the foot of Anderson Mesa).
Later, Jack Metzger called and stated he saw two herds on Anderson Mesa and counted/estimated
more than 250. And, according to a Game & Fish employee, their chart shows the number of
antelope (or pronghorns) has recovered.
Another positive is the Diablo Trust. Two ranchers, the Prossers' Bar T Bar and the Metzgers'
Flying M are neighbors, and they joined with conservation volunteers to build tanks, put pipe on
the bottom wire of barbed-wire fences (antelope frequently crawl under the wire) and other
game-friendly techniques as well as provide the Diablo members with education and examples of
cooperation for their hundreds of acres of rangeland.
But the increasing amount of people out-and-about and the number of roads being built impact
the habitat of the antelope, so there is still reason to be concerned.
Once I volunteered to ride up to Anderson Mesa and limb juniper trees, then pile the branches for
shelter for the newborn antelope babies.
Jack said that practice was stopped because the dratted coyotes quickly began searching the brush
piles for little pronghorns.
These animals remind me of the African impala, graceful and swift-running.
May their numbers improve, for the pronghorn is an "Out Of Africa" sight to behold and enjoy
here in our northern Arizona.
Source: http://azdailysun.com/news/opinion/columnists/back-then-revival-of-the-pronghorn-a-cause-to-celebrate/article_e27f69d8-4e09-55d9837b-0ab5e68b4427.html