NAIROBI, Kenya – Efforts by the Kenyan government to boost wildlife conservation have received a shot in the arm following the repatriation of 17 mountain bongos, a third generation of the endangered species, taken away in the 1960s and 1970s.
The rare animals brought back to the country from Florida, USA, arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at around 9:10 pm on Sunday and have since been moved to the Mariana and Mushehene Sanctuary in Meru County, where they will be quarantined first.
The animals shipped into the country aboard a DHL Cargo ship were received by top government officials led by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Erustus Kanga.
According to wildlife experts, the mountain bongos are originally Kenyan, and their existence elsewhere in the world is a testament to the fact that they were taken away from here.
“This moment by all means marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to conserve and even restore one of the world’s most endangered species. The return of these mountain bongos from the Rare Species Conservancy Foundation in Florida, USA, is a breakthrough,” said CS Miano.
What the repatriation of the mountain bongos means
CS Miano said the move testifies to the potency of cross-border collaboration in matters universal to humankind and matters of biodiversity.
“Through the National Recovery Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo, we have committed ourselves through KWS to uphold an unprecedented vision to grow the population of this majestic herbivore to 750 individuals in the next 50 years,” explained the CS.
According to CS Miano, the repatriation is a critical step towards realising the vision of the National Recovery Action Plan.
“These 17 bongos that have arrived today will form a founder population at the Mariana and Mushehene Sanctuary in Meru County, where they will be nurtured, protected, and gradually reintroduced to their natural habitats,” added CS Miano.
Did you know that the Mountain Bongo is a critically endangered antelope whose population has drastically declined from approximately 500 individuals in the 1970s to fewer than 100 in the wild today in Kenya? This decline is primarily due to habitat loss, poaching, illegal…
How the mountain bongo has suffered over the years
CS Miano observed that the mountain bongo, a species originally found in Kenya, has suffered untold grief over the decades, from habitat loss to poaching to disease.
“Mountain bongo numbers have dwindled to alarming portions, yet even in the face of these trials and difficulties, we have resisted bowing to pressure to let go of this iconic species, and that is why this evening is monumental,’ she said.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗢𝗦 At dawn, I joined H.E. President @WilliamsRuto in Mombasa to welcome over 2,000 cruise ship voyagers, the largest single arrival in over a decade. A true boost for our tourism sector! As the day unfolds, we mark yet…
Erastus Kenga, the KWS boss, indicated that the day was historic, starting from Mombasa, where the country received 2200 foreigners aboard the Norwegian cruise ship and later received the 17 bongos, even as he lauded all stakeholders supporting the conservation efforts in the country.
“This is a historic event for this country, first things first in terms of records. Around the 1960s and 1970s, we had about 700 mountain bongos in this country; quite a number of them were shipped out into Europe and the U.S. right now, we only have the mountain bongos in Mount Kenya Forest, Aberdare Forest, and the Eburu Forest. The current population we have worldwide is less than 100,” explained Kanga.
What are the numbers of the mountain bongos in Kenya
Kanga disclosed that in 2004, Kenya was lucky to repatriate the first group of mountain bongos, 25 of them in number, that were taken to Mount Kenya.
“And those species for the past 21 years have done extremely well. We now have 98 individuals, and out of that, we have been able to climatise and move them into the natural environment. We have a mountain bongo conservancy that we have already moved 20 species into a free range, and we are happy to note that those animals are now reproducing. We have young ones among those, and that one attests to the success that Kenya has been making and being a leader in wildlife conservation,” said Kanga.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗢𝗦 As Kenya continues to foster a thriving tourism sector, the benefits extend far beyond local communities. Tourism is a major driver of the national economy, generating revenue and creating jobs across the country as…
The KWS DG noted that the cohort of 17 mountain bongos that are going to Mushene Forest, which is a community conservancy, is extremely exciting to the country because they are bringing the biodiversity of species that are critically endangered and have been taken out.
“We are also looking at creating jobs for the local community members that are going to be employed in that conservancy. We are also going to grow the livelihoods of the people who are going to be employed in the tourism sector,” said the DG.
How the Meru communities will benefit from the repatriation
Kanga’s sentiments were echoed by CS Miano, who indicated that the initiative is not just saving a species, far from it, but in essence, it is about restoring ecosystems, empowering communities, and safeguarding Kenya’s natural heritage for future generations and from generation to generation.
“To the Meru County government, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the Kamulu and Ntimaka Community Forest Associations, and all our partners, including DHL and others, I extend my deepest gratitude for your unyielding commitment to create synergies with us,” said CS Miano.
Kenya has just welcomed back 17 mountain bongos from the USA, a monumental step in our conservation efforts! This initiative not only enhances our leadership in wildlife preservation but also aims to revive the critically endangered species, boosting their population and creating…
To the communities living around the Mariana and Mushehene Sanctuary, CS Miano moved to assure them that the initiative is not just about wildlife; it is also about them.
“The success of this project will bring economic opportunities, enhance tourism, and improve livelihoods. Protecting and conserving mountain bongos is investing in the future. And I believe that we shall be able to attract many tourists, domestic, regional, and international, to come and see the rare, amazing mountain bongos in this Magical Kenya,” explained the CS.
Why the lack of mountain bongos in Kenya is disastrous
Meanwhile, Kanga revealed that the mountain bongos are endemic in Kenya and are only found in three places: Aberdares, Mount Kenya, and Eburu Forest, critical water catchment areas.
“Ecologically, they are part of the very rare and endemic biodiversity that we have in this country. They have been able to grow in those forested mountainous ecosystems. So, their lack means we are going to have an ecological gap. So, when we bring them back, we are doing what is called restoration. Not only the recovery of bongos, but we are restoring the habitats where they are,” he added.
Kanga disclosed that there are already hundreds of mountain bongos in the U.S., particularly in California.
“Once we are successfully able to release these 17 species, we are looking at bringing the other individuals that are there to come and repatriate them. Actually, in the next three months, we should be getting five individuals from Europe to come and bring in some genetic diversity so that we can do the population here,” Kanga said.
