Sonoran pronghorn recovery program a success

Federal wildlife biologist Mike Coffeen is ecstatic these days. His efforts to save North America's fastest mammal – the endangered Sonoran pronghorn – are succeeding beyond expectations. Five years after drought whittled the deer-like animal's population to a handful, pushing it to the brink of extinction, its numbers are back above 100. Biologists are especially encouraged by the 18 fawns born within the past three months in a square-mile captive breeding enclosure within this sprawling national refuge in southern Arizona – what Coffeen calls “our disaster ace in the hole.” “Eighteen is above what I thought we'd have, so I was ecstatic,” said Coffeen, who is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We're at a point in this program where we're on a roll.” (Photo: Defenders of Wildlife)