Despite being similar in appearance and behaviour to antelopes, the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) actually belongs to its own unique family. The horns are particularly remarkable in that like bovids, they consist of a keratin sheath on a bony core, but like deer (cervids), they are forked, and the outer sheath sheds annually from the unforked bony core. Both sexes have black horns, but the male’s are enlarged and have forward-facing prongs below backward-pointing hooks, while the female’s are comparatively small. The pronghorn’s stocky body is supported on long, slim legs, which enable it to take massive eight metre strides at full speed. The upperparts are largely red-brown to tan, while the underparts, the rump and two bands across the neck are contrastingly white. The male also has conspicuous black patches on the face and on the sides of the neck, beneath the ears.
Gallery[]
