Bongos have come home

The secretive antelope is hoping for better times in Kenya

- James Fair

THE MOUNTAIN BONGO – A LARGE, FOREST-dwelling antelope with a chestnut coat and white stripes – is classed as Critically Endangered, with fewer than 100 surviving in scattered populations in Kenya. But there is new hope. Earlier this year, 17 individuals were translocated from a breeding facility in Florida to a dedicated 8ha fenced enclosure on the slopes of Mount Kenya, which will serve as a secure home and breeding ground. The aim is to re-establish a sustainable population across the Mount Kenya ecosystem and beyond.