Mountain Bongos Return Home After Journey From Europe

Four mountain bongos have been successfully returned to Kenya after years in European captivity. The animals, named Maue, Fitz, Kudu and Bon64, arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi following a complex journey from Czechia. Wildlife officer Ngenoh Erick Kibet described the moment as emotional. "We are bringing the boys home," he said. Kibet and animal keeper Christine Gichohi travelled to the Czech facility two weeks earlier to prepare the bongos for transport. The pair spent their days learning each animal's routines and building trust with the shy antelopes before the long flight home.

The mountain bongo is critically endangered, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the wild. These antelopes are native only to Kenya's highland forests, including the Aberdares, Mount Kenya, the Mau and Eburu regions. Gichohi explains that while the bongos can become tamed, their natural shyness never fully disappears. Each male has a unique character. Maue proved gentle and cooperative, even licking Kibet's arm as a sign of acceptance. Fitz, however, requires careful handling as the most aggressive of the group. This successful repatriation represents decades of conservation work.

Sources: theguardian.com / reuters.com