The , the fastest land animal in North America, has been dashing over the lands between Wyoming鈥檚 Grand Teton National Park and the Upper Green River Basin for millennia. And thanks to previous conservation efforts by WCS and our partners, this ancient 鈥淧ath of the Pronghorn鈥� was the first federally protected wildlife migration corridor in the United States.

Still, the journey along this almost 100-mile route isn鈥檛 a walk in the park. Even at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour, these antelope can鈥檛 always outrun the predators, oil and natural gas development, and other migration obstacles that they encounter. So WCS and government biologists are embarking on a huge study to evaluate how the pronghorn are faring during their seasonal travels.

鈥淕rand Teton National Park鈥檚 pronghorn spend half the year outside the boundaries of the national park, and the threats they encounter could influence their long-term viability,鈥� said Steve Cain, a senior wildlife biologist for the park. 鈥淭he data collected in this study will provide public and private land managers with information critical for making decisions that enhance conservation of this herd, outside of the park as well as inside.鈥�

In the early 1800s, around 35 million pronghorn roamed the West. Today, just 700,000 remain. Wyoming is home to most of them, but many also live in Idaho.

鈥淕lobally, most national parks are not large enough to protect ecological phenomena such as migration. Demonstrating the ability to maintain this process in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and in Grand Teton National Park can be a model for other species and parks in similar situations across the planet,鈥� said WCS scientist Jon Beckmann.

Already, 30 pronghorn that were summering in Grand Teton National Park and the nearby Gros Ventre River drainage are readying for their long trip, and wearing GPS radio collars. When the pronghorn leave for their wintering grounds, the collars will send the scientists valuable data on the animals鈥� whereabouts, their traveling habits, and whether or not they make it to their migratory destinations over the next three years.

The research will also take a new look at the travelers the pronghorn meet along the way鈥攏amely wolves and coyotes. With the recent reintroduction of to the southern section of Grand Teton, the relationships between wolves, coyotes, and pronghorn are changing. For instance, coyotes often prey upon pronghorn fawns, but these predators now face competition for food, and maybe even danger to themselves, from the wolves. By examining the species' population densities and how the various groups of animals are responding to the changes within the others, the conservationists will be able to better understand the ecosystems that the pronghorns are passing through.

鈥淭he Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem contains unparalleled wildlife resources, and we need to understand the important influences on the system to preserve Wyoming鈥檚 world class wildlife heritage,鈥� said Regional Supervisor Tim Fuchs for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. 鈥�The status of the pronghorn in western Wyoming may serve as a case study for other parks around the world as conservation scientists and land managers continue to identify the benefits and limitations of parks created with the intention of conserving the wildlife within their boundaries.鈥�