Pronghorn

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pronghorn

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Antilocapra americana
2. What is the estimated population?Approximately 500,000 to 1 million individuals
3. What makes the pronghorn the fastest land animal in North America?Pronghorns can run up to 55 miles per hour, the second fastest speed of any land animal. Their long legs, big heart, and large lungs help them keep going fast for a long time.
4. Why do pronghorns have special horns?Their horns have a bony core covered by a keratin sheath that falls off and grows back each year. Both male and female pronghorns have horns, but the females' horns are usually smaller.

Taxonomic Position: The classification of an organism within the hierarchical system of biological classification.
Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.
Habitat Fragmentation: The process by which large, continuous habitats are broken down into smaller, isolated patches.