Two adorable baby bongos born weeks apart at Belfast Zoo
They’re BFFs already!
Last updated 1st Apr 2022
It’s been a busy start to the year for the team at Belfast Zoo, with recent additions coppery titi monkey baby and a Western lowland gorilla infant.
Two critically endangered Eastern bongos have been born at Belfast Zoo just a few weeks apart.
Zoo Curator Raymond Robinson said, “We are thrilled to hear the pitter patter of several baby bongo hooves in the paddock. Both mothers, Kibibi and Surali, are experienced and doing a great job of taking care of the calves.
The sex of the new calves is not yet known as zookeepers are giving them time to bond with the mothers and the rest of the family. They join siblings Jumapili, Pasaka and Nollaig.
What are Bongos?
Eastern bongo are African forest antelopes, with numbers in the wild estimated to be less than 200.
Eastern bongo have red, stripy coats which acts as excellent camouflage from predators when hiding amongst the forest trees. Unlike most antelopes, both male and female bongos have long spiralling horns.
Bongos can tilt their long horns back to reduce any obstruction while running through dense forests. Native to remote forests of Kenya, they are herbivores and eat leaves, shoots, grasses and shrubs.
As part of a collaborative breeding program, Belfast Zoo has welcomed several bongo calves in recent years.
The Belfast-born bongos have moved to other zoos around the world, which will help provide a ‘safety net’ population of animals at risk of extinction.
The zoo is open 10am – 6pm every day over Easter, with special free activities planned for Monday 19 April (Easter Monday) and Tuesday 19 April from - including face painting, sensory touch tables, walkabout characters and Easter trail.
For tickets and further information please visit belfastzoo.co.uk
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