Pronghorn: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Deer and Pronghorn · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. No land mammal in the Americas runs faster. A pronghorn can reach speeds of up to 88.5 km/h.
2. A cheetah is quicker, but the pronghorn keeps up its top speed far longer. It can hold 56 km/h for 6.5 km.
3. Its very large eyes sit high on its skull and give it a 320° field of vision.
4. When something alarms it, the white hair on its rump flares open and gives off a smell like buttered popcorn, warning the others.
5. It is often called the American antelope, but its closest living relatives are actually the giraffe and the okapi.

The quiz

1. How fast can a pronghorn run?

• About 30 km/h
• Up to 88.5 km/h (correct)
• About 150 km/h
• About 200 km/h

No land mammal in the Americas is faster: it reaches 88.5 km/h.

2. How does the pronghorn compare with the cheetah?

• It is faster over short sprints
• It is faster and lasts longer
• It runs at exactly the same speed
• It is slower but holds its top speed much longer (correct)

The cheetah is faster, but the pronghorn keeps its top speed much longer.

3. How wide is the pronghorn's field of vision?

• 320° (correct)
• 45°
• 90°
• 180°

Its very large eyes give it a 320° field of vision.

4. What does the pronghorn's alarm scent smell like to people?

• Rotten eggs
• Fresh roses
• Buttered popcorn (correct)
• Wood smoke

The rump glands release a smell like buttered popcorn.

5. Which animals are the pronghorn's closest living relatives?

• Horses and zebras
• Deer and moose
• Cattle and goats
• The giraffe and the okapi (correct)

Despite its antelope nickname, its closest relatives are the giraffe and okapi.

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