It is now one year since that very exciting and emotional moment when we first saw the 18 donated "American" Bongo step out of their crates onto the soil of their ancestors.
Bongo at their ancestral home Mount Kenya
Our total Bongo herd here at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy now numbers 36 animals. That is the largest breeding herd of this rare and majestic species.
Miss Kenya, our first born from the 'American' donated Bongo is now a beautiful teenager. 'Tumaini' also continues to flourish.
This month our veterinary team of Dr. Lucy Murugi and Dr. Paul Sayer along with Wildlife Manager Donald Bunge had a very busy time trimming the hooves of our 'American' bongo.
Dr. Sayer trimming the bongo's hooves
They were accompanied by our famous visiting guest and friend of the Conservancy Dr. Jerry Haigh, now a distinguished Professor of veterinary medicine at Saskatoon University (Canada). Dr. Haigh is a well known authority on the captive care and husbandry of wildlife, and also served as the veterinarian for our capture unit. He is presently writing his second book on his African Adventures as a veterinarian.
Another distinguished friend of years past re-visited the Conservancy to see first hand what had been accomplished. He was Professor Dr. John King, once the veterinarian attached to the Kenya Game Department.
Our firstborn Bongo, Miss Kenya
John recalled when, in the sixties, Don Hunt first approached Major Ian Grimwood for licenses to capture a nucleus of Mountain Bongo Antelopes, in order to see a viable population outside the country to safeguard against extinction.
"He told us that one day he would return them to Kenya," remembers John. "We thought it would never happen, but as the Bongo were available for legal hunting, we gave him the licenses anyway!!"
Baby Bongo Tumaini
Despite several setbacks by marauding Elephants and torrential rains, our Mount Kenya forest breeding areas are nearing completion.
Tumaini, Ms. Kenya and their adult friends will soon be released into these new areas to experience their first taste of life in the wilderness of their ancestors.
This project would not be possible without the support of the American Zoological Association, United States institutions and the help of conservationists throughout the world. We salute them all.
Any help is greatly appreciated. All together and with your help Mount Kenya will once again be populated by the magnificent Mountain Bongo Antelope in the hopes that this time, it will be forever.
Read more about this and other ongoing projects on our pages...
