Chester Zoo recently reported that its keepers are celebrating the birth of rare large mammal native to Africa, the mountain bongo.
Renowned for its conservation work at home and overseas, the Chester non-profit is committed to preventing the extinction of the world’s rarest creatures. Part of its efforts involve specialised breeding programmes designed to create a zoo-based population of endangered animals to safeguard species under threat.
As the world’s biggest antelope dwelling in forests today, the bongo is easily identifiable by its clever camouflage, which features a red-brown coat boasting narrow vertical stripes in white.
The newly born bongo is confirmed as female and has been named by the zoo’s team as “Navari”. Born to her parents Moti and Nolliag, the antelope calf is the second of her species to be born at Chester in the past 15 years.
Mike Jordan, Director of Plants and Animals at Chester Zoo, commented on the plight of the African antelope:
“The mountain bongo is a striking large mammal and it’s desperately sad to think that its population size has been reduced to such a small number. We fear there could be as few as just 50 now remaining in the wild.”
Classed as a “Critically Endangered” animal by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the mountain bongo is at extreme risk due to human activity, but thanks to Chester Zoo’s efforts, hope is far from lost for the stunning species.
Zoo visitors can now see Navari enjoying her specially designed habitat under the watchful eye of her parents.
