Marwell adds to 'baby boom' with endangered mountain bongo calf
The Hampshire wildlife site has welcomed a host of new arrivals in recent weeks
Marwell Zoo is once again welcoming the pitter-patter of tiny hooves with the arrival of a critically endangered mountain bongo calf.
The male was born at the wildlife park near Winchester on September 4th to mother Jumapili.
Keepers say he is doing well and has already impressed them with his feistiness.
The calf is the latest to join a growing baby boom, with including a male Rothschild’s giraffe, female zebra foal, who has been named Yahna, and a tiny sitatunga born over the last few weeks.
Keeprs also welcomed four female Przewalski’s horse foals earlier in the year named Xaela, Shara, Ereen and Bilűű.
Mountain bongos are a large species of antelope found in four distinct areas of Kenya where they live in forests and highlands.
Mother, Jumapili (meaning Sunday in Swahili), arrived at Marwell Zoo with her previous calf, Kaska, last year.
Mountain bongo are listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as Critically Endangered.
This new arrival is part of the international breeding programme to ensure the future of the species which continues to decline in the wild.
Rhiannon Wolff, animal keeper at Marwell Zoo, said:
"The team is excited to announce the birth of a male mountain bongo to mum Jumapili.
"The calf has been very confident, energetic and adventurous right from the start. He appears quite feisty and has been confidently exploring more and more of his habitat every day - bravely greeting the lesser kudu this week.
"This calf is a very important part of the breeding programme and European Ex-situ Programme (EEP) (the species studbook) which endeavours to ensure the survival of this species."