Wildlife Movement

Modifying fences for pronghorn

Topping out at 55 miles per hour, pronghorn are some of the fastest animals in the world. Yet despite their powerful, lean legs, they can’t jump. 

Fences stop them in their tracks — a serious problem in a landscape crisscrossed with barbed-wire cattle fences. Rather than hop over fences, pronghorn will try to squeeze underneath. But wires are typically strung too low, scraping pronghorns’ backs and leaving them susceptible to infection and disease.

We work in strategic locations where pronghorn return year after year to replace the bottom wire with a smooth one and raise it to 18 inches off the ground — enough space for pronghorn to pass through. Since 2011, Grand Canyon Trust volunteers have helped make 10 miles of fences wildlife-friendly.

Animal pathways on the North Rim

Animals tend to use the same routes to reach water, food, and mates. Researchers studying wildlife movement on the North Rim Ranches predicted the locations of these "animal highways." But actual wildlife sightings can be few and far between in such vast landscapes. Rather than twiddle our thumbs and wait for animals to walk by, we're using motion-activated cameras to help scientists study wildlife movement on the North Rim Ranches. Volunteers help us replace batteries, pull memory cards, and sift through thousands of photos. Here's what we've learned: