A number of animals depend on migrating between seasonal habitats for survival and have done so for thousands of years. However, with ever-expanding human development, many of them, including elk, deer, and moose, are running into barriers that prevent migration and increase their risk of injury or death.
However, according to Discover Humboldt, the pronghorn population in Saskatchewan will soon have an easier time migrating, thanks to efforts to safeguard pronghorn seasonal migration routes.
The Ministry of Environment, along with the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration, is increasing protection of these routes to ensure the long-term survival of the pronghorn.
Pronghorns are ungulates related to antelopes and goats. According to the National Wildlife Federation, this species is the fastest North American land animal.
More impressive, though, is the distance this species will travel to migrate. In the U.S., they have the longest land migration route with herds migrating 150 miles to and from their seasonal habitats.
In Saskatchewan, pronghorns live at the northern edge of the area and are reliant upon seasonal migrations to acquire food and other vital resources. However, human development, particularly the construction of highways and roads, has disrupted these routes, often leading to wildlife-vehicle collisions that can be fatal for both animals and humans.
Saskatchewan's pronghorn population has experienced dramatic swings in numbers over the past century, but as of now, the population is holding steady with around 15,000 to 20,000 pronghorn in the area. However, protecting migration routes is essential to the species' long-term survival.
GIUM used tracking data from the Saskatchewan pronghorn population and from Montana pronghorn populations to generate detailed migration maps that will now be used to protect migration routes and direct conservation efforts, something people in Saskatchewan are happy to hear.
As Darlene Rowden, the Environment Minister, explained, per Discover Humboldt, "Our province is blessed to be part of the pronghorn's Canadian range."
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