They were thought to be gone from this part of Kenya. Now new trail camera images show mountain bongos have reappeared in a remnant forest fragment in Maasai Mau, about 200 kilometres from the Aberdare mountains population.
Conservationists had feared the wild mountain bongo population had shrunk to a tiny range in the Aberdares after the species was detected in four isolated areas eight years ago.
“The excitement in camp was unbelievable when we first looked through the photos,” said Oscar Dyer, Director of Operations for the Mountain Bongo Project. “Seeing a bongo here again is incredibly exciting-and it reinforces our determination to continue searching, protecting this forest, and finding evidence of more bongos in the area.”
The image follows years of work by Mountain Bongo Project rangers in what the group described as one of Kenya’s most inaccessible forests, and comes as conservationists assess the species’ numbers.
A high-tech AI survey carried out last year by England’s Chester Zoo, with support from Kenyan wildlife officials, estimated there were only 28 bongos in the Aberdares stronghold. The Mountain Bongo Project said there could be 40 individuals, and said the appearance of the Maasai Mau bongo brings renewed hope for the species.
The mature male captured by the cameras was likely first identified in 2018 by Chester Zoo’s Dr Tommaso Sandri, a Mountain Bongo Project Advisory Council member. He said that if it had remained hidden for years, other bongos might also still be in the area.
That was followed by more camera images. Markings analysis has confirmed they show an additional young male and a young female in the region.
“This is huge news,” Dr Sandri said. “Unlike Aberdares, Maasai Mau is not a national park, and the reappearance of bongo may focus organizations on increasing broader protections.”
Bongos are the largest forest antelope in Africa, but their rarity and shyness make them difficult to track. The Mountain Bongo Project said its rangers, who are Maasai, work in difficult and isolated conditions to monitor and protect the species using their knowledge of the local ecosystem.
About 900 bongos live in zoos and sanctuaries, including one operated by the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. The recent translocation of four European-born males from zoos will help preserve genetic diversity in the Kenya sanctuary population.
“The Mau population represents a significant genetic pool for mountain bongos and it is therefore vital for long-term conservation,” said Robert Aruho, who heads the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.
“The mountain bongo is not beyond saving, but it does need us to act together,” Dyer said. “Collaboration between organizations like MBP, Chester Zoo, and our partners brings hope and is turning knowledge, protection, and persistence into real impact on the ground. With sustained support, we can ensure wild bongos continue to live in Kenya’s forests.”
Historically, bongos were affected by game hunting and collectors. They are still affected by habitat destruction from logging and farming.
“Their presence makes the forest more magical,” Dr Sandri added, “and the world would be poorer for their loss.”
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