Pronghorn Migrate from Lower Little Wood to Leadore

Pioneers Alliance partners are wrapping up the second year of a two-year pronghorn migration study. Recently, they recovered GPS collars that record the movements of 14 does between September 2009 and August 2010. Lighthawk and expert pilot Steven Garman helped them find the last collar.

Two results stand out when comparing new data with observations from the 2008-2009 migration:

  • Two does moved farther than any had in the previous year, traveling 150 miles one way and almost reaching Leadore, Idaho.
  • A narrow migration route between lower Fish Creek and Arco is identical in the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 studies.

The National Park Service is already using migration data to modify their fences to better accommodate pronghorn passage. This fall, partners will be working with local landowners to map fences lines within the migration corridor to look for other opportunities to support movement of these animals.

The Wildlife Conservation Society has plans to build on this migration research, beginning with a winter capture planned for early December 2010.

The pronghorn research project has been a great success and we are grateful to all our partners!

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