Incredibly rare antelope captured on camera in region where they were thought to have disappeared

An incredibly rare antelope species has been rediscovered in an area where they were thought to be locally extinct.

For more than half a decade, conservationists feared the wild mountain bongo population, detected in four isolated areas eight years ago, had shrunk to a tiny range in the Aberdare mountains in Kenya.

Now trail cam photographs, shared to mark World Bongo Day on May 31, show bongos exploring a remnant forest fragment in Maasai Mau, roughly 200km from the Aberdares population. 

The images come at a key moment in bongo conversation. A hi-tech survey was carried out in 2025 by Chester Zoo, following guidance from the Mountain Bongo Project (MBP) and with the support of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC) and Kenya Wildlife Service.

The AI survey results, made public here for the first time, showed only 28 individuals in the Aberdares stronghold.

Tommaso Sandri, a Chester Zoo conservationist and MBP Advisory Council member said:

“I believe the world would be poorer for their loss. Their presence makes the forest more magical. This is a problem caused by people, and we need people to fix it. Without everyone sharing their expertise and resources, the bongo could be lost.

“We are observing wild-living bongos through conservation monitoring, but we don’t want to get to the point that we keep watching them until they disappear.”

Rangers from MBP, the only conservation organisation solely to protecting the last remaining wild population of mountain bongos, confirmed there are likely fewer than 40 bongos in Aberdares. However, the appearance of the Maasai Mau bongo brings renewed hope for the species.

The mature male captured by the cameras was likely first identified back in 2018 by Dr Sandri, who suggested that if it has remained hidden for years then other bongos may also still be in the area. This hope was borne out when cameras returned more images.

Markings analysis has now confirmed these show an additional young male and a young female have appeared in the region.

He said: “This is huge news. Unlike Aberdares, Maasai Mau is not a national park, and the reappearance of bongo may focus organisations on increasing broader protections. It’s a testament to the persistence of the MBP rangers who work in incredibly difficult and isolated conditions to monitor and protect this antelope.”

Bongos are the largest forest antelope in Africa, but their extreme rarity and shyness make them difficult to track.

MBP’s Maasai Mau rangers are Okiek and Maasai people who draw on long-held knowledge about the local ecosystem.

Oscar Dyer, Director of Operations at MPB, said:

“The excitement in camp was unbelievable when we first looked through the photos. This image is the result of years of hard work by our rangers on the ground in one of Kenya’s most inaccessible forests. Seeing a bongo here again is incredibly exciting — and it reinforces our determination to continue searching, protecting this forest, and finding evidence of more bongos in the area.”

Bongo conservationists, led by experts at Chester Zoo, are already working on a new action plan to coordinate bongo safeguarding work, which will be published soon.

Stuart Nixon, Chester Zoo’s Regional Field Programme Senior Manager for Africa, partners with the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC) and Kenya Wildlife Services, providing technical support such as AI monitoring to boost their conservation efforts.

Mr Nixon said: “It’s difficult to put a finger on why numbers aren’t increasing. Surveys show there are habitats they could expand into. Perhaps their numbers are so low that a natural level of predation is depressing the population. Even when only a few calves are taken by predators, there aren’t enough left to let the group grow. So, we have a population that’s stable, but small and ageing.”

There are about 900 bongos in zoos and sanctuaries like the one operated by the MKWC. There is interest in both reintroducing bongos to the wild, and in protecting wild populations, as this will preserve vital genetic diversity for the species. The recent translocation of four European-born males coordinated by Chester Zoo helped reinforce the sanctuary population in Kenya. 

Robert Aruho, head MKWC, said: "The Mau population represents a significant genetic pool for mountain bongos and it is therefore vital for long-term conservation."

Reinforcement from bongos cared for by organisations like Chester Zoo and MKWC could provide a way forward, boosting the population to sustainable levels. Meanwhile, MBP continues to protect the bongos still roaming in the wild.

Oscar Dyer added:

“The mountain bongo is not beyond saving, but it does need us to act together. Collaboration between organisations like MBP, Chester Zoo, and our partners brings hope and is turning knowledge, protection, and persistence into real impact on the ground. With sustained support, we can ensure wild bongos continue to live in Kenya’s forests.”