Kenya has welcomed four rare Mountain Bongos back to their homeland in a moment that conservationists are describing as a significant step forward in saving one of the world’s rarest large mammals from extinction.
The four males arrived, on Tuesday 28th April 2026, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on a KLM cargo flight from the Czech Republic, where they had been under the care of Zoo Dvůr Králové.
They were received by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, alongside Kenya Wildlife Service Director General Erustus Kanga, Czech Republic Ambassador Nicol Adamcova, representatives from the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya Airports Authority, and KLM.
The four bongos have since been transported to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, where they are now settling in under close care.
Their arrival brings the total number of bongos at the conservancy to 102, and conservancy patron Humphrey Kariuki said the addition of the four males will play a crucial role in strengthening the gene pool of the species.
CS Miano described the arrival of the genetically diverse bongos as a critical step in building stronger breeding resilience, while PCS Mudavadi said the milestone is proof of what can be achieved when policy, science, and international collaboration come together for a shared goal.
For KWS, the moment carries deep significance.
Kanga called it “a moment of hope, responsibility, and renewed commitment” to securing the future of the Mountain Bongo.
Ambassador Adamcova said the translocation reflects the long-standing conservation partnership between the Czech Republic and Kenya and a shared determination to protect endangered species.
The return of the four bongos is the result of years of planning under Kenya’s National Recovery and Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo, and brings the country one step closer to its goal of eventually restoring the species to its natural habitat in the wild.
