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PUEBLO, Colo. – A significant number of pronghorns have died on eastern Colorado roadways as winter descends upon the region, according to state wildlife officials.
The deaths have occurred across the area from Pueblo to Lamar to Limon, Hugo and beyond, according to Bill Vogrin, public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) southeast region, who spoke to FOX Weather on Wednesday.
As deep, crusty snow blankets the area, state wildlife officials said these mammals take refuge on roads, often leading them into dangerous encounters with vehicles. Authorities are now urging motorists to exercise caution and reduce their speed, particularly at night.
More than 100 pronghorn have died on Eastern Colorado roadways as winter descends upon the region, according to state wildlife officials.
(Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Southeast Region)
A severe snowstorm blanketed the area with 2-3 feet of snow last weekend, forcing pronghorn to seek refuge on rural roads and highways. The deep snow and icy conditions have rendered these swift animals, the fastest land mammals in North America, unable to use their speed to evade predators or vehicles.
“We’ve had more than 150 hit by vehicles, we believe mostly large trucks based on the scope of the incidents,” Vogrin said. “They are actually bedding down on the roads until the snow melts, and they can return to the grasslands.”
Pronghorn find themselves trapped because the snow is reaching the bottom of the barbed wire fences that typically line the roads, Vogrin adds.
“Pronghorn prefer to scramble under fences rather than jump them,” he said.
FILE – A pronghorn buck is seen in Big Bend National Park in West Texas.
(Dukas/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Unfortunately, baiting pronghorn to lure them away from roads has proven ineffective. To mitigate the risk, CPW is appealing to landowners to clear snow from their fields, providing ample space for the animals to shelter safely.
CPW officers said they are also actively monitoring pronghorn herds and removing carcasses to prevent further harm.