Mountain Bongo

Back to Africa director Dr Hamish Currie has been contacted by Mike Prettejohn of the Bongo Surveillance Project about the possibility of a project involving the Mountain Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci). Discussions are taking place between Back to Africa and Kenya Wildlife Service in this regard.

The Mountain Bongo is a reclusive antelope that lives in the forests of Mount Kenya. Classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, there are probably only 150 Mountain Bongos left in the wild.

The Mountain Bongo has been obliterated completely from Uganda and is now only found in Kenya, in the Aberdare National Park, Mount Kenya National Park, Mau Forest Region and the Eburu Forest Region.

The Mountain Bongo is under threat as a result of a multitude of human activity, which includes encroachment, habitat destruction and poaching. They are also hunted for their meat to feed an ever increasing human population. The Bongo Surveillance Project works with local communities educating them on the importance of the Bongo and teaching them to work together to protect both the Bongo and the home that they share.

On the positive side, there are many of these most beautiful antelope in zoos around the world. It is in the interest of conservation that some of these animals are returned to the wild.

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