Yellowstone and Grand Teton are two of few places pronghorn have seasonal migrations, and graze alongside bison, as their predecessors did for thousands of years. But fencing and road development outside the parks have threatened migration routes, limiting access to winter habitat, and leaving the park’s pronghorn at risk of extinction.
Disappearing Migration Routes
Unlike deer and elk, pronghorn are unable to jump. Thus, the development of fences and other infrastructure outside park boundaries has limited, and in some cases completely cut-off, their migration routes.
Roads and fences north of Yellowstone have hampered that herd’s ability to migrate into high-quality winter habitat. Grand Teton’s herd of 300 pronghorn still migrate as much as 100 miles south of the park to the Green River Valley each fall, but an active oil and gas boom in the region threatens to block their travel corridor completely.
Park Wildlife Need Healthy Adjacent Lands
The problems facing pronghorn in Yellowstone and Grand Teton are indicative of problems occurring throughout the National Park System. America’s national parks are sanctuaries for our wildlife, but external forces are threatening this heritage. Critical habitat adjacent to parks is being developed, and links to habitat corridors are being blocked.
Finding Creative Solutions Together
NPCA is working with land managers, elected officials, conservation partners, and private landowners to craft innovative solutions to the challenges facing pronghorn. Solutions include:
Educating local residents
Installing pronghorn-friendly fencing
New national policy to help migrating wildlife
You Can Play a Critical Part!
We need your help to ensure that our children and grandchildren get to experience the thrill of observing one of the fastest animals on the face of the earth within the sanctuary of America’s first national park. Sign up for news and alerts about our national parksincluding NPCA's monthly e-newsletter, Park Lines.
