Image from : Threat Evaluation for the Sublette Pronghorn Migration Corridor
Last winter was crushing to Wyoming’s ungulates, and a particularly hard one for pronghorn who succumbed to the deep low-elevation snow as well as a new respiratory illness. All told, the 40,000 strong Sublette heard may have been reduced by as much as 75% last winter, leaving roughly 10,000 animals by the start of the green up. Only about 80 adult pronghorn made it back to the Jackson Hole this last summer.
Last winter’s die off was primarily due to acute stress of winter and disease – but the pronghorn also face chronic stresses, especially along their long migration route. Today, energy development, suburban development, and roads are the primary threats to the functionality of their migration route. If just one bottleneck of their route is blocked, the entire migration could be lost. In September, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department published a Threat Evaluation for the Sublette Pronghorn Migration Corridor – the findings: the corridor is at a high risk of loosing functionality due to the trend of suburban expansion and demand for renewable energy.
The WGFD held a public information meeting at the library last night on the issue, and is accepting public comment through a web survey here.
Make public comment to Wyoming Game and Fish – tell them that protecting the Path of the Pronghorn is critical for the sustainability of our pronghorn and other iconic species of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Ultimately, this issue will go back to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Commission who will decide if they will recommend protections to the Governor, who will ultimately make this decision.
Watch this space to keep updated on this and other pressing conservation issues.
