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Four critically endangered mountain bongos have returned to their native Kenya after years under the care of a zoo in the Czech Republic, marking a significant boost for conservation efforts.
The rare antelopes, distinctive for their striking stripes, are classified as critically endangered due to poaching and widespread diseases.
The Kenyan government estimates fewer than 100 mountain bongos remain in the wild.
Many were originally sent to Europe in the 1980s following a devastating rinderpest outbreak that decimated thousands.
The four animals arrived from Dvur Kralove Zoo, transported in wooden crates aboard a KLM cargo flight to Kenya’s main airport.
They were met by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Tourism Minister Rebecca Miano, who hailed the event as a “homecoming of the majestic bongos”.
open image in gallery A rare mountain bongo leaps from a shipping crate after traveling from the United States to the slopes of Kenya in 2004 ( AP )
This marks the third such return in recent years, with the last one being in February 2025.
Following a period of quarantine and acclimatisation, the bongos will be transferred to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, which currently houses 102 bongos, before their eventual release into the wild.
The conservancy, in collaboration with the government, operates a National Recovery and Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo, intending to use these new arrivals to interbreed and strengthen the existing gene pool.
Kenyan-raised nature explorers and filmmakers Jahawi and Elke Bertolli said that the new bongos will bring genetic variation that is critical for their conservation.
open image in gallery Kenya Wildlife Service personnel walk past four mountain bongos, a type of antelope, repatriated from the Czech Republic, upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi ( AP )
They added that the species plays a key role in protecting the forests that are vital to Kenya’s water supply.
Czech Republic Ambassador Nicol Adamcova said the relocation reflects a long-standing partnership between the Czech Republic and Kenya in conservation and a shared commitment to protecting endangered species.
Mr Mudavadi said such milestones show what can be achieved when policy, science, and collaboration come together in pursuit of a shared conservation goal.
“I commend all stakeholders involved and assure you of Government’s unwavering support in strengthening conservation frameworks and ensuring that Kenya’s biodiversity continues to thrive,” he said.
Ms Miano said that bringing in genetically diverse bongos is a critical step to strengthen the species' breeding resilience.