Pronghorn Antelope Fawns Testing Their Legs in Yellowstone National Park

Part of the beauty of visiting Yellowstone National Park is the ability to see wildlife in their natural environment.  Whether it be wolves feeding on a carcass, Bull Elk bugling for their harem, or the Yellowstone mothers with their babies, this is something you just can’t normally see in many other areas.

On this occasion, we were driving through Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park when we stopped at a small gathering of cars at a pullout.  It turned out to be one of the best stops of our Yellowstone trip.

At the pullout, we found a Pronghorn Antelope mom with her two fawns.  The mom Antelope was grazing while the two baby Pronghorns were exploring the area, but not too far from mom.

There was a storm approaching the Lamar Valley and the wildlife in the valley appeared restless.  The two young Pronghorn Antelopes then started to sprint around the sagebrush in large circles around mom.  They were careful not to run off too far from mom and the mamma Pronghorn kept a watchful eye on the fawns.

The young Pronghorns were running fast, jumping, and making sharp cuts.  It was like they were testing out their legs for the first time.  Pronghorn Antelopes are the fastest land animal in North America, with a top speed at around 60 miles per hour.  It was fascinating to see these newborn Pronghorn run with such speed and agility at only a few weeks old.

Every spring, Pronghorn Antelopes migrate around 150 miles to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks to birth and raise their fawns in the parks over the summer.  This is the longest land migration in the continental United States. Early to Mid June is a great time to visit these parks to see the Pronghorn does with their fawns.

Written by Martin Belan

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