Challenging conventional views on the elevational limits of pronghorn habitat

Innovations in animal tracking technologies have allowed researchers to gain an unprecedented view into the daily lives of animals, advancing our understanding of their ecology, evolution, and physiology, while also providing insights that can defy conventional knowledge. Here, we present an example that challenges conventional knowledge of what constitutes typical pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) habitat by highlighting the use of extraordinary high-elevation summer ranges in the Carter Mountain area within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) in Wyoming, USA. Furthermore, this discovery of high-elevation habitat use, which only occurs in a portion of the population, raises questions about the processes that generate and maintain diversity in animal movement tactics across individuals that share a common winter range and have access to the same resources.

Methods
Data was collected from GPS collars deployed on n=128, adult, female pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) near Cody, WY, USA in 2019. The study duration was 2 years (November 2019 - November 2021).