Hope for threatened antelopes as Bongo calf Is born at Woburn Safari Park

Woburn Safari Park is celebrating the birth of a healthy male Eastern Mountain bongo calf, offering a rare and hopeful moment for one of the world’s most endangered antelope species.

The calf was born at 8.30pm on Wednesday 15th April to experienced mother Odongo, following a smooth labour monitored closely by the park’s dedicated keeper team. Odongo, who has successfully raised calf Zambe in the past, is recovering well and quickly settled into caring for her newest arrival.

Weighing an estimated 15-20kg, the calf was soon on his feet and feeding confidently. Keepers were also delighted to see the youngster showing impressive early mobility. Within just three days, he had joined the rest of the herd in Woburn’s African Forest drive-through reserve, where visitors can now spot him exploring, resting and bonding with the group. Keepers describe him as “bold and energetic”, often most active in the mornings before settling down in sheltered areas later in the day.

Odongo initially kept the rest of the herd at a distance, typical behaviour for a fiercely protective bongo mother, but has since relaxed as the group has adjusted to the new arrival. The other calves have been quick to show interest, and the youngster is already forming the close social bonds that are vital for this herd-based species. The calf’s father is Pessaka, affectionately known as Sonny by keepers. His birth marks another important success for the EAZA Ex Situ Programme (EEP) for Eastern Mountain bongos, a coordinated European breeding effort designed to safeguard the future of the species. Woburn Safari Park is now home to eight bongos, with each new birth playing a crucial role in strengthening the population.

Young male bongos typically move to other conservation collections at around two years old to support wider breeding programmes, and keepers expect this calf will follow that path in the future.

The arrival is especially significant given the species’ dire situation in the wild. Eastern Mountain bongos are critically endangered, with fewer than 100 individuals believed to remain. Habitat loss, hunting and fragmentation have pushed them to the brink, and recent research suggests that only a handful of wild populations are still breeding.

"Every birth really matters for this species,” said Tom Robson, Head of Section, Reserves at Woburn Safari Park. “With fewer than 100 Eastern Mountain bongos left in the wild, conservation breeding programmes like ours play a vital role. We hope seeing this calf helps visitors understand just how precious and vulnerable these animals are.”

Ahead of the birth, the keeper team carefully prepared the area with deep, supportive bedding to help the calf gain a strong footing. He continues to be monitored daily and is expected to start grazing independently within six to eight weeks, although he will continue feeding from his mother for some time.