The Baja California pronghorn or peninsular pronghorn (''Antilocapra americana peninsularis'') is a subspecies of
pronghorn
The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American a ...
,
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Baja California
Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...
in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The wild population is estimated at 200.
Population
The Baja California pronghorn was the last subspecies of
pronghorn
The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American a ...
to be described, and is found on the Baja peninsula. Aerial surveys in the mid-1990s counted 117 and 151 individuals; the ground surveys results were 83, 39, and 48 individuals. Male to female ratios were 66:100 in the aerial survey and 140:100 in the ground survey. After this study, researchers proposed to capture 30 individuals, 12 males and 18 females, to radio-collar and study further.
Recovery
The recovery for the Baja California pronghorn is affected by many different factors. Like most
pronghorn
The pronghorn (, ) (''Antilocapra americana'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American a ...
species, adequate nutrition is crucial for survival, but not uniquely to the Baja California pronghorn, human population increase and land development have drastically reduced their habitat. This creates barriers that do not allow genetic diversity and reduce the total area these animals can use to forage for food and find water. Conservation efforts must be conducted to save the habitat of the species; these can include stopping development in the current ranges of the Baja California pronghorn and reducing the number of males in the population, which will allow more genetic diversity and open up more habitat for females that are the key to recovery of the population.
References
External links
Peninsular Pronghorn facts and photo at th
Los Angeles Zoo official site
Peninsular Pronghorn at the Encyclopedia of Life
Pronghorns
Endemic fauna of the Baja California Peninsula
Mammals of Mexico
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