Recovery of the Endangered Sonoran Pronghorn
Channel: Conservation and Adaptation Resources Toolbox
Date: 2022-09-09

Numerous federal and state agencies, among other partners, have been working diligently for almost four decades to recover the Sonoran pronghorn.  This unique desert subspecies of the American antelope has been listed as endangered in the US since 1967 and in Mexico since 1994.  After a year of severe drought in 2002, the Sonoran pronghorn was on the brink of extinction with only 21 individuals estimated in the U.S. and 285 in Mexico.  Captive breeding, habitat modifications, monitoring, and partnerships have been critical components of making progress towards recovery.  Captive breeding has allowed us to bolster the original population and reintroduce Sonoran pronghorn to historic habitat.  Research into the species’ ecology laid the foundation for habitat modifications that have reduced the negative effect of drought on population growth rates.  Monitoring has allowed us to implement adaptive management by evaluating the success of our actions and adjusting our approach as necessary.  None of this would have been possible without the strong partnerships among U.S. and Mexican agencies with diverse missions, grounded in individuals committed to recovering Sonoran pronghorn.

August 30th, 2022
Presented by Stephanie Doerries, US FWS