Pronghorn: Room to Roam

Pronghorn: Room to Roam

Editorial Concept | Research • Writing • Photography • Art Direction • Conservation Storytelling

After seeing local coverage of more than 130 wildlife biologists and managers gathering in Colorado Springs to discuss challenges facing pronghorn, I saw an opportunity to translate a timely conservation issue into an engaging wildlife story for young readers.

Pronghorn are familiar animals across Colorado, but their story is more complex than simply being incredibly fast. Habitat loss, roads, fencing, development, drought, and fragmented migration routes can affect their ability to move through the landscapes they depend on. I developed this concept to introduce those larger issues through something immediately interesting to children: an animal built to run that increasingly needs safe places to run.

The Editorial Approach

Rather than beginning with conservation terminology, the story begins with curiosity: pronghorn are extraordinarily fast; they are not actually antelope, and their unusual horns and adaptations make them unlike any other North American mammal.

From there, the story shifts from “How does this animal work?” to “What happens when the landscape gets in its way?”

That progression gives young readers a reason to care about the animal before introducing habitat connectivity, wildlife crossings, and conservation research.

Visual Direction

I designed the spread for readers ages 7–12 using large photography, short blocks of information, illustrated explanations, and strong visual hierarchy. A brighter palette separates this concept from my American coot feature while maintaining accessible contrast and readability.

My own pronghorn photography becomes part of the storytelling rather than decoration. Portraits introduce the animal, environmental photographs establish habitat, and group images help communicate how pronghorn use open landscapes.

Illustrated diagrams simplify more complicated ideas such as highways, fencing, development, and wildlife crossings without making the subject feel overly technical.

Research + Storytelling

The concept was inspired by current pronghorn research and conservation discussions taking place in Colorado. Researchers are examining issues including habitat connectivity, migration routes, development, drought, and barriers to movement.

For a young audience, I translated those subjects into a simple central question:

If an animal is built to run, what happens when it has nowhere to go?

That question became the organizing idea for the entire spread.

Why It Works

The project demonstrates how I approach wildlife editorial content from several directions at once: photographer, researcher, writer, illustrator, and designer. I can observe an animal in the field, recognize the story behind its behavior, research the science, determine what will interest a young reader, and build the visual system that brings those pieces together.

Most importantly, conservation is not presented as a separate lesson at the end. It becomes part of understanding the animal itself.