Critically endangered antelopes return to Kenya from Czech zoo

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Four critically endangered mountain bongos arrived in Kenya on their way to their native forests after years in the care of a zoo in the Czech Republic.

Bongos, rare antelopes known for their striking stripes, have been declared critically endangered due to poaching and diseases. There are less than 100 mountain bongos left in the wild, according to the Kenyan government. Many were sent to Europe in the 1980s after a major rinderpest disease outbreak killed thousands.

The four returnees arrived from Dvur Kralove Zoo packed in wooden crates at Kenya’s main airport aboard a KLM cargo flight and were received by the country’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Tourism Minister Rebecca Miano, who hailed it as a “homecoming of the majestic bongos.”

It’s the third such return in recent years, last one being in Feb. 2025. After a period of quarantine and acclimatization, the bongos will be sent to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, which houses 102 bongos, for a stay before being released into the wild.

The conservancy runs a National Recovery and Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo in collaboration with the government and plans to use the four new bongos to interbreed and strengthen the gene pool.

Kenyan-raised nature explorers and filmmakers Jahawi and Elke Bertolli told The Associated Press that the new bongos will bring genetic variation that is critical for their conservation, adding 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.

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.

Miano said that bringing in genetically diverse bongos is a critical step to strengthen the species’ breeding resilience.