Sweetwater Solar Facility Altered Pronghorn Migration Routes
New research shows pronghorn populations in Wyoming avoided grazing lands near a 700-acre solar farm.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Wildlife
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A 2025 ecological study found that Wyoming pronghorn herds significantly avoided the 80-megawatt Sweetwater solar facility. Researchers tracked animal movement over five years to determine how the site's footprint affected local wildlife migration.
Why it matters
The study suggests that large-scale utility infrastructure can disrupt historical grazing patterns for regional wildlife. Because the herds did not habituate to the fencing, researchers noted a long-term behavioral change in how these animals use the Red Desert landscape.
Encounters within 328 feet of the 6.6-foot tall perimeter fence fell by 94% over the five-year monitoring period. The study tracked pronghorns across the 700-acre site throughout spring and summer sessions.
The players
Sweetwater solar plant
An 80-megawatt renewable energy facility located in southwest Wyoming.
The details
Researchers utilized GPS collars to record satellite coordinates every two hours to track pronghorn proximity to the site. The facility employs 6.6-foot chain-link fencing topped with three strands of barbed wire, which acted as a physical barrier. Statistical spatial modeling confirmed that the animals consistently avoided the area, showing no signs of becoming accustomed to the solar array infrastructure throughout the five-year study.
Timeline
April 1 to September 30 were the tracking periods during spring and summer.
2025 marked the publication of the ecological study.
The Home Front
This development follows recent trends in evaluating how large-scale utility projects intersect with critical habitat zones. It marks a departure from earlier assumptions that wildlife would eventually habituate to stationary industrial infrastructure.
Residents near large industrial or solar developments in the Red Desert may notice changes in local wildlife sightings as migration paths shift. If you maintain fencing on property near these sites, consider consulting wildlife management experts about animal-friendly design options.
The takeaway
Large-scale solar facilities in the Red Desert have proven to be significant barriers that permanently divert pronghorn migration paths. Landowners in affected regions should monitor local wildlife movement patterns to adapt their own property management accordingly.
Further reading
For more information on regional species migration, visit Wyoming Wildlife.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ecoportal.
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