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One of the Oldest in North America | National Geographic


every fall this herd of pronghorn

every fall this herd of pronghorn antelope treks more than a hundred miles

antelope treks more than a hundred miles

antelope treks more than a hundred miles Grand Teton National Park to their

Grand Teton National Park to their

Grand Teton National Park to their winter habitat in the upper Green River

winter habitat in the upper Green River

winter habitat in the upper Green River Valley of Wyoming this phenomenal

Valley of Wyoming this phenomenal

Valley of Wyoming this phenomenal migration one of the longest in North

migration one of the longest in North

migration one of the longest in North America has been taking place for the

America has been taking place for the

America has been taking place for the past six thousand years as the snows

past six thousand years as the snows

past six thousand years as the snows develop and forge becomes unavailable

develop and forge becomes unavailable

develop and forge becomes unavailable they migrate and move back the hundred

they migrate and move back the hundred

they migrate and move back the hundred to 150 miles back to the sagebrush

to 150 miles back to the sagebrush

to 150 miles back to the sagebrush basins of the upper Green River Basin

basins of the upper Green River Basin

basins of the upper Green River Basin where they can access orge through the

where they can access orge through the

where they can access orge through the winter relying on information collected

winter relying on information collected

winter relying on information collected from VHS radio collars researcher Hall

from VHS radio collars researcher Hall

from VHS radio collars researcher Hall Sawyer map this particular pronghorn

Sawyer map this particular pronghorn

Sawyer map this particular pronghorn migration route in 1998 with a half a

migration route in 1998 with a half a

migration route in 1998 with a half a million animals roaming the range

million animals roaming the range

million animals roaming the range Wyoming is home to almost as many

Wyoming is home to almost as many

Wyoming is home to almost as many pronghorn as people within a

pronghorn as people within a

pronghorn as people within a hundred-mile radius of casper wyoming

hundred-mile radius of casper wyoming

hundred-mile radius of casper wyoming which is located right in the center of

which is located right in the center of

which is located right in the center of the state there’s more pronghorn than

the state there’s more pronghorn than

the state there’s more pronghorn than anywhere else in the world Wyoming

anywhere else in the world Wyoming

anywhere else in the world Wyoming sustains most of the pronghorn in North

sustains most of the pronghorn in North

sustains most of the pronghorn in North America but part of the pronghorns

America but part of the pronghorns

America but part of the pronghorns habitat is becoming increasingly

habitat is becoming increasingly

habitat is becoming increasingly fragmented by human development and some

fragmented by human development and some

fragmented by human development and some worry that crucial quarters are being

worry that crucial quarters are being

worry that crucial quarters are being severed

severed

severed two men have an ambitious plan to find

two men have an ambitious plan to find

two men have an ambitious plan to find out which obstacles the pronghorn have

out which obstacles the pronghorn have

out which obstacles the pronghorn have to navigate conservationist and

to navigate conservationist and

to navigate conservationist and adventure Rick Ridgeway and photographer

adventure Rick Ridgeway and photographer

adventure Rick Ridgeway and photographer Joe Reese have sent out to document this

Joe Reese have sent out to document this

Joe Reese have sent out to document this year’s migration Joe proposed to walk

year’s migration Joe proposed to walk

year’s migration Joe proposed to walk with those pronghorn on foot nobody had

with those pronghorn on foot nobody had

with those pronghorn on foot nobody had ever done that before on foot and more

ever done that before on foot and more

ever done that before on foot and more importantly document the migration in

importantly document the migration in

importantly document the migration in photographs so that we could increase

photographs so that we could increase

photographs so that we could increase the awareness about the migration and

the awareness about the migration and

the awareness about the migration and the threats to the pronghorn Joe Reece

the threats to the pronghorn Joe Reece

the threats to the pronghorn Joe Reece is one of national Geographics young

is one of national Geographics young

is one of national Geographics young explorers he’s a biologist and a

explorers he’s a biologist and a

explorers he’s a biologist and a wildlife photographer we walked the

wildlife photographer we walked the

wildlife photographer we walked the distinct paths that the pronghorn

distinct paths that the pronghorn

distinct paths that the pronghorn migrated in the fall and in the spring

migrated in the fall and in the spring

migrated in the fall and in the spring we we wanted to view the landscape

we we wanted to view the landscape

we we wanted to view the landscape through the eyes of the pronghorn and

through the eyes of the pronghorn and

through the eyes of the pronghorn and see the obstacles that the prime

see the obstacles that the prime

see the obstacles that the prime currency see the beauty of the landscape

currency see the beauty of the landscape

currency see the beauty of the landscape as well as that human obstacles the duo

as well as that human obstacles the duo

as well as that human obstacles the duo quickly establishes that pronghorn are

quickly establishes that pronghorn are

quickly establishes that pronghorn are encountering some modern and

encountering some modern and

encountering some modern and conveniences on their ancient pathway

conveniences on their ancient pathway

conveniences on their ancient pathway and one day we estimated herd of about

and one day we estimated herd of about

and one day we estimated herd of about eight hundred animals moved past this

eight hundred animals moved past this

eight hundred animals moved past this near trappers point Wyoming it’s a

near trappers point Wyoming it’s a

near trappers point Wyoming it’s a natural bottleneck that has been reduced

natural bottleneck that has been reduced

natural bottleneck that has been reduced by a subdivision we watch the pronghorn

by a subdivision we watch the pronghorn

by a subdivision we watch the pronghorn dodge cars and people along Highway 191

dodge cars and people along Highway 191

dodge cars and people along Highway 191 and 352 when they hit a migratory

and 352 when they hit a migratory

and 352 when they hit a migratory bottleneck animals are confined to a

bottleneck animals are confined to a

bottleneck animals are confined to a narrow passageway the squeeze can be

narrow passageway the squeeze can be

narrow passageway the squeeze can be caused by vegetation or human

caused by vegetation or human

caused by vegetation or human development in the case of trappers

development in the case of trappers

development in the case of trappers point it’s both

point it’s both

point it’s both every year between 1500 and 2000

every year between 1500 and 2000

every year between 1500 and 2000 pronghorn crossed through this

pronghorn crossed through this

pronghorn crossed through this bottleneck twice a year once in the

bottleneck twice a year once in the

bottleneck twice a year once in the spring and once in the fall vehicle

spring and once in the fall vehicle

spring and once in the fall vehicle wildlife collisions are a problem all

wildlife collisions are a problem all

wildlife collisions are a problem all across the state but they become

across the state but they become

across the state but they become particularly problematic during these

particularly problematic during these

particularly problematic during these migratory time periods when there’s a

migratory time periods when there’s a

migratory time periods when there’s a lot of animals moving across the roads

lot of animals moving across the roads

lot of animals moving across the roads the most common barriers the animals

the most common barriers the animals

the most common barriers the animals face our roads and fences fences pose a

face our roads and fences fences pose a

face our roads and fences fences pose a problem the pronghorn because they’re

problem the pronghorn because they’re

problem the pronghorn because they’re not evolved to jump over fences they

not evolved to jump over fences they

not evolved to jump over fences they move underneath them and if fences are

move underneath them and if fences are

move underneath them and if fences are woven wire that they can’t move under a

woven wire that they can’t move under a

woven wire that they can’t move under a lot of times they simply can’t pass

lot of times they simply can’t pass

lot of times they simply can’t pass through in order to capture intimate

through in order to capture intimate

through in order to capture intimate photographs of the migration Joe uses

photographs of the migration Joe uses

photographs of the migration Joe uses remote cameras congra antelope can see

remote cameras congra antelope can see

remote cameras congra antelope can see ten times better than we can so if you

ten times better than we can so if you

ten times better than we can so if you move at all they see you and they’ll

move at all they see you and they’ll

move at all they see you and they’ll stop and they’ll go the other way you

stop and they’ll go the other way you

stop and they’ll go the other way you have to use remote camera systems that

have to use remote camera systems that

have to use remote camera systems that don’t make any movement and take the

don’t make any movement and take the

don’t make any movement and take the pictures by himself he positions the

pictures by himself he positions the

pictures by himself he positions the cameras in specific areas along the

cameras in specific areas along the

cameras in specific areas along the migration path often hiking miles to

migration path often hiking miles to

migration path often hiking miles to find the perfect spot

Joe’s ultimate goal is to get shots of

Joe’s ultimate goal is to get shots of the herd in motion to capture the

the herd in motion to capture the

the herd in motion to capture the essence of this unique long-distance

essence of this unique long-distance

essence of this unique long-distance journey I my photograph this migration

journey I my photograph this migration

journey I my photograph this migration to inspire people to care about it it’s

to inspire people to care about it it’s

to inspire people to care about it it’s an incredible migration and people need

an incredible migration and people need

an incredible migration and people need to know about it it’s happening right in

to know about it it’s happening right in

to know about it it’s happening right in the middle United States and it’s the

the middle United States and it’s the

the middle United States and it’s the second longest migration in the Western

second longest migration in the Western

second longest migration in the Western Hemisphere Joe also documents the

Hemisphere Joe also documents the

Hemisphere Joe also documents the migration from the air with a help of

migration from the air with a help of

migration from the air with a help of pilot Chris Boyer of light Hawk an

pilot Chris Boyer of light Hawk an

pilot Chris Boyer of light Hawk an organization that provides free flights

organization that provides free flights

organization that provides free flights for conservationists aloft Joe can

for conservationists aloft Joe can

for conservationists aloft Joe can clearly see potential roadblocks during

clearly see potential roadblocks during

clearly see potential roadblocks during one of my aerial photography flights I

one of my aerial photography flights I

one of my aerial photography flights I documented human development within the

documented human development within the

documented human development within the corridor as more and more barriers are

corridor as more and more barriers are

corridor as more and more barriers are installed the threat to this migration

installed the threat to this migration

installed the threat to this migration is increased the team discovers that oil

is increased the team discovers that oil

is increased the team discovers that oil and gas fields are also threatening the

and gas fields are also threatening the

and gas fields are also threatening the corner there are already more than 8,000

corner there are already more than 8,000

corner there are already more than 8,000 wells on public lands with plans to

wells on public lands with plans to

wells on public lands with plans to double that in the next decade these

double that in the next decade these

double that in the next decade these remarkable aerial photographs document

remarkable aerial photographs document

remarkable aerial photographs document the changes since the 1980s in the last

the changes since the 1980s in the last

the changes since the 1980s in the last hundred years the migration route has

hundred years the migration route has

hundred years the migration route has been threatened by human development by

been threatened by human development by

been threatened by human development by suburbs and by Ranchettes and now by oil

suburbs and by Ranchettes and now by oil

suburbs and by Ranchettes and now by oil and gas development in the southern part

and gas development in the southern part

and gas development in the southern part of their range the team’s extensive

of their range the team’s extensive

of their range the team’s extensive documentation of the pronghorn corridor

documentation of the pronghorn corridor

documentation of the pronghorn corridor may help officials target where they

may help officials target where they

may help officials target where they need to act there are ways to protect

need to act there are ways to protect

need to act there are ways to protect wildlife corridors that are still

wildlife corridors that are still

wildlife corridors that are still compatible with a with human occupation

compatible with a with human occupation

compatible with a with human occupation in an area and for example a rancher can

in an area and for example a rancher can

in an area and for example a rancher can install fences that allow pronghorn

install fences that allow pronghorn

install fences that allow pronghorn antelope for example to go under them

antelope for example to go under them

antelope for example to go under them without getting hung up on the Bob Dwyer

without getting hung up on the Bob Dwyer

without getting hung up on the Bob Dwyer world the team also hopes their efforts

world the team also hopes their efforts

world the team also hopes their efforts will spark an interest in protecting the

will spark an interest in protecting the

will spark an interest in protecting the animals

animals

animals the pronghorn migration corridor is 125

the pronghorn migration corridor is 125

the pronghorn migration corridor is 125 miles long and only a mile wide it’s not

miles long and only a mile wide it’s not

miles long and only a mile wide it’s not going to take that much to protect it if

going to take that much to protect it if

going to take that much to protect it if the human impact on this migration were

the human impact on this migration were

the human impact on this migration were to continue then it’s possible that the

to continue then it’s possible that the

to continue then it’s possible that the migration route might be cut off and if

migration route might be cut off and if

migration route might be cut off and if that were to happen there would be no

that were to happen there would be no

that were to happen there would be no more pronghorn antelope in the Grand

more pronghorn antelope in the Grand

more pronghorn antelope in the Grand Tetons and that would be tragic for

Tetons and that would be tragic for

Tetons and that would be tragic for everyone with commitment and planning

everyone with commitment and planning

everyone with commitment and planning the pronghorn could continue their great

the pronghorn could continue their great

the pronghorn could continue their great annual migration just as they’ve done

annual migration just as they’ve done

annual migration just as they’ve done since the last ice age sponsored by

since the last ice age sponsored by

since the last ice age sponsored by National Geographic mission programs

National Geographic mission programs

National Geographic mission programs taking science and exploration into the

taking science and exploration into the

taking science and exploration into the new millennium

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