Watching pronghorn behavior has become part of my camping trip at Black Mesa State Park in Oklahoma. South of the park, near the Black-tailed Prairie Dog Town, I have been photographing a small herd. Two things caught my attention: feeding at a cholla cactus and a buck keeping the females together.
Pronghorn Behavior Around a Cholla Cactus
The cactus feeding surprised me first. From time to time, I saw the pronghorns eating something on a cholla. With all those spines, it seemed like an unlikely place to find a meal.
In this photograph, a pronghorn stands beside the cactus with its muzzle close to the branches. The spines are easy to see, along with several yellow fruits.
After reading about possible explanations, I wondered whether the animals were after the fruit. I could not confirm which part they ate, so that remains a possibility. What I could see was that the spines did not keep them from feeding there.
That gave me something new to watch for as I spent time with this herd. I had come to photograph pronghorns, and now I wanted to learn more about their food choices.
I later was able to record a video of a pronghorn buck feeding at a cholla cactus.
Photographing a Buck Keeping Does Together
The other behavior involved a buck working to keep the females close together. I photographed him running behind a doe across the open ground near the prairie dog town.
Having the chance to observe these animals at closer range helped me follow their interactions. In the running photograph, both animals stretch across the frame, with the buck following behind the doe.
His herding behavior fits what bucks do during the rut, or breeding season. Male pronghorns can defend a group of females, often called a harem, against other males. The National Park Service describes this breeding behavior.
More Time With the Herd Near Black Mesa
We do not have wild pronghorns back home in Arkansas, so I enjoy these chances to watch and learn. I seldom get to observe them as close as I can around Black Mesa.
I have shared other encounters from this area in Mule Deer and Pronghorn at Black Mesa State Park.
For this visit, the cactus feeding has held my attention as much as the buck’s activity. I would like another clear look at what the pronghorns are taking from those thorny branches.