Four mountain bongos, a critically endangered species, have arrived in Kenya, en route to their native forests, after spending several years in a zoo in the Czech Republic.
Bongos , rare antelopes known for their distinctive stripes, have been classified as critically endangered due to poaching and disease. According to the Kenyan government , fewer than 100 mountain bongos remain in the wild. Many were sent to Europe in the 1980s after a severe outbreak of rinderpest killed thousands.
The bongos arrived from Dvur Kralove Zoo in wooden crates at Kenya 's main airport and were greeted by Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Tourism Minister Rebecca Miano, who hailed the event as the "homecoming of the majestic bongos" .
This is the third such return in recent years, the previous one having taken place in February 2025. After a period of quarantine and acclimatization, the bongos will be sent to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy , which houses 102 bongos, before being released back into the wild.
The reserve manages a national recovery plan for the mountain bongo in collaboration with the government and plans to use these four bongos to crossbreed and strengthen the genetic heritage.
Kenya-raised nature explorers and filmmakers Jahawi and Elke Bertolli told the Associated Press that the bongos will bring essential genetic variation to their conservation, adding that the species plays a key role in protecting forests that are vital to Kenya's water supply.
Czech Ambassador Nicol Adamcova said the transfer was a testament to the long-standing partnership between the Czech Republic and Kenya in conservation, as well as their shared commitment to protecting endangered species.
Mr. Mudavadi added that such advances showed what could be achieved when politics, science and collaboration came together to achieve a common goal of conservation.
