Pronghorn are endemic to North America, making their home in the high plains and vast sagebrush sea of the American West. Like many ungulates, their survival depends on roaming freely. The North Platte River Valley along the Colorado-Wyoming border is rich in wildlife diversity, mostly on private lands. The rangelands in this area stewarded by ranchers make ideal habitat for pronghorn and other wildlife species. However, the miles of fences used for cattle are often barriers to the pronghorn’s and other wildlife’s movements.

This is a story of a community working to improve fences, allowing pronghorn and other wildlife to move freely. It celebrates the animals of the North Platte River Valley and the people dedicated to preserving them. By modifying fencelines, landowners, conservationists, and ranchers are ensuring these species continue to thrive for generations to come. 

Mariah has been a professional conservation photographer and filmmaker for a decade, focusing on stories in the Great Plains and the American West. She is the project manager & producer for Platte Basin Timelapse–a conservation storytelling project using timelapse photography and multimedia to explore watersheds. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska’s School of Natural Resources, on faculty with Summit Workshops, and an Associate Fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers. Nebraska-born and raised, she now calls Colorado home and spends her free time snowboarding, prairie running, and backyard farming with her husband, two cats, and six chickens.