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| Common Name: | Eastern Bongo | Family: | Bovidae |
| Latin Name: | Tragelaphus isaaci | Diet: | Herbivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Grasslands |
| Native To: | Africa | Social Unit: | Group |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Critically Endangered |
Eastern bongos at Edinburgh Zoo
Here at Edinburgh Zoo we have three Eastern bongo. Our resident male, Djembi, was born in March 2005 and came to us in August 2005 from Berlin Zoo. In October 2008 he was joined by two females from Belfast Zoo: Kiki and Emi. Kiki was born in August 2007 and Emi in September 2007. Our three bongo share their enclosure with Hamish and Bell, two of our red river hogs.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
The bongo enclosure is located north of the Oriental small-clawed otter enclosure, west of the Pudu enclosure.
Eastern bongos in the wild
The Eastern bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci), or Mountain bongo, is a sub-species of the species Tragelaphus eurycerus. Tragelaphus eurycerus additionally includes the Western bongo sub-species, also known as the Lowlands bongo.
The Eastern Bongo differs from the Western bongo in several ways. First, the Eastern bongo is larger and heavier than the Western Bongo. The Eastern bongo also has a more vividly-coloured coat, with a vibrant chestnut background and striking white stripes. These stripes help to camouflage the bongo from predators.
All bongos have spiralled horns, appearing on both males and females. Males’ horns are larger and more swept-back than the females’ thinner and more parallel horns.
In the wild, the Eastern bongo feeds on leaves, grasses, roots, bushes, and fruits. They need salt in their diet, and frequently visit natural salt licks. They also eat charcoal from trees that have been burned in forest fires or struck by lightning. This is believed to be a way for bongos to get salts and minerals that they need in their diet. Bongos have a long, flexible tongue that can wrap around grasses and leaves.
Numbers of the Eastern bongo (sub-species Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) are in very severe decline due to poaching and habitat destruction. Only very small remnant populations of wild Eastern bongo can be found in the Aberdares, Mount Kenya, Mau Forest and Eburu Forest. As of 2007, there were only an estimated 75 – 140 adult Eastern bongos left in the wild.
For this reason, this species has been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as Critically Endangered, meaning that it is considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Breeding programme category: EEP
IUCN Red List category: Critically Endangered
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