Mountain bongos are rare antelopes known for their distinctive striped coats. They have been classified as critically endangered due to a combination of poaching, habitat loss, and disease….reports Africa Daily Newsdesk
Four critically endangered mountain bongos have arrived in Kenya after years in the care of a zoo in the Czech Republic, in a move aimed at supporting efforts to restore the species in its native forests.
The animals were transported from Dvur Kralove Zoo and landed at Kenya’s main airport in wooden crates, where they were received by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Tourism Minister Rebecca Miano, who hailed it as a “homecoming of the majestic bongos.”
Mountain bongos are rare antelopes known for their distinctive striped coats. They have been classified as critically endangered due to a combination of poaching, habitat loss, and disease. According to the Kenyan government, fewer than 100 mountain bongos remain in the wild.
The species suffered a major decline in the 1980s following an outbreak of rinderpest disease that killed thousands of animals. During that period, a number of bongos were moved to Europe in an effort to preserve the population through captive breeding programmes.
The latest transfer forms part of a broader conservation strategy that has seen similar reintroductions in recent years. This is the third such return, following a previous transfer in February 2025.
The species suffered a major decline in the 1980s following an outbreak of rinderpest disease that killed thousands of animals. During that period, a number of bongos were moved to Europe in an effort to preserve the population through captive breeding programmes.
After undergoing a period of quarantine and acclimatisation, the four bongos will be moved to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. The facility currently houses 102 bongos and plays a central role in Kenya’s national recovery plan for the species.
Officials say the newly arrived animals will be integrated into a breeding programme designed to strengthen the gene pool. Conservationists have emphasised the importance of genetic diversity in improving the long-term resilience of the population before eventual release into the wild.
Kenyan-raised nature explorers and filmmakers Jahawi and Elke Bertolli told The Associated Press that the bongos will bring genetic variation that is critical for their conservation, adding that the species plays a key role in protecting the forests that are vital to Kenya’s water supply.
The relocation also reflects longstanding conservation ties between Kenya and the Czech Republic. Czech Republic Ambassador Nicol Adamcova said the transfer demonstrates a shared commitment to protecting endangered species and sustaining collaborative environmental efforts.
Mudavadi said such milestones show what can be achieved when policy, science, and collaboration come together in pursuit of a shared conservation goal.
The reintroduction programme is expected to continue in phases, with further monitoring required to assess how successfully the animals adapt before any full release into Kenya’s forests.
