Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy marks birth of 100th Mountain Bongo

Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC) has recorded a major conservation milestone with the birth of its 100th Mountain Bongo calf, a development seen as a significant boost to efforts to save the critically endangered species from extinction.

The birth, achieved under the conservancy’s Breeding and Rewilding Programme, marks a turning point in the long-running recovery initiative for the Mountain Bongo, a species once common in the Mount Kenya ecosystem but later driven to the brink by habitat loss and poaching.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Prof. Erustus Kanga praised the achievement, describing it as the result of decades of sustained conservation work.

“The work undertaken by Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is highly commendable and represents a significant step forward for wildlife conservation in Kenya,” Prof. Kanga said.

“The birth of the 100th Mountain Bongo reflects more than 20 years of dedication by conservation teams, researchers, veterinarians, and wildlife managers whose efforts in research, monitoring, and breeding have been critical to the recovery of this critically endangered species.”

He added that KWS would continue to work closely with the conservancy on the programme and acknowledged Humphrey Kariuki for his leadership and investment in the initiative.

The Mountain Bongo, identifiable by its chestnut coat and spiralled horns, declined sharply over the decades due to human pressures.

In response, MKWC partnered with KWS to establish a structured breeding and rewilding programme aimed at preventing the species’ total loss.

MKWC Patron and IUCN Patron of Nature Humphrey Kariuki said the milestone reflected years of coordinated conservation efforts.

“This milestone reflects decades of coordinated breeding, habitat restoration, and community engagement that have been critical to stabilizing the species,” Kariuki said, adding that the conservancy was focused on reintroducing “a healthy, self-sustaining population into the wild” and ensuring the Mountain Bongo is no longer endangered.

The journey to the 100th birth began in 2004 with the repatriation of 18 Mountain Bongos from the United States to Nanyuki, forming the programme’s founding population.

Another key milestone was reached in 2022 with the opening of the Mawingu Mountain Bongo Sanctuary, the world’s first dedicated wild sanctuary for the species.

The sanctuary supports rewilding efforts ahead of planned reintroductions into Mount Kenya, Eburu, and the Aberdares.

MKWC Head of Conservancy Dr. Robert Aruho said the achievement was both encouraging and demanding.

“Reaching this milestone is both a celebration and a challenge. It provides both the momentum and the confidence to continue our work to ensure the survival of this species,” Dr. Aruho said.