Hoofed Mammals
Hoofed mammals, AKA “ungulates” aren’t just pigs and cattle. This category includes some of the world’s most spectacular mammals, from the tallest of all—giraffes—to some of the fastest—pronghorn antelope. WCS works from the plains of North America to the wetlands of Southern Sudan to save ancient wildlife migration corridors, study the environmental impacts of natural resource extraction, and develop sustainable land-use management plans to save Earth’s majestic hoofed herds.
Featured Species
The bison, North America’s largest mammal, once roamed the continent freely, helping sustain plain and prairie ecosystems through grazing. Today, most bison are being raised as domestic livestock.
Caribou, the most abundant land-dwelling animal in the Far North, are an adaptable species able to survive in harsh ecosystems. These deer are vulnerable to deforestation and climate change.
Wild relatives of the llama, guanacos are humpless camels that inhabit the arid and semi-arid habitats of South America, as well as the Andean forests of Tierra del Fuego.
These medium-sized antelope, characterized by a heart-shaped patch of white fur on their rump, are among the last great herds of migratory wildlife.
The pronghorn is the fastest land animal in North America. Traffic, recreation, and other human disturbances are driving pronghorns from their open grassland, sagebrush, and desert habitats.
Also known as chiru, these antelope once grazed in magnificent herds in the high mountain steppes of the Tibetan Plateau, but consumer demand for their luxurious wool has taken a heavy toll.