Mountain Bongo Project

11/06/2026

In the beginning of May, the Mountain Bongo Project's India ranger team detected an injured elephant in the Aberdares while carrying out routine field operations.​

The team immediately alerted Kenya Wildlife Service, who responded quickly alongside the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Mobile Veterinary Unit. Guided by the MBP team, veterinary officer Dr. Jeremiah Poghon was able to locate and successfully treat the elephant, which had become entangled in a rope snare.​

This incident highlights the wider impact of conservation work in these forests. While the Mountain Bongo Project's primary focus is protecting the critically endangered mountain bongo, our teams regularly encounter and support a wide range of wildlife across these landscapes.​

We are grateful to Kenya Wildlife Service and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Mobile Veterinary Unit for their swift response and continued partnership in protecting Kenya's wildlife.​

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09/06/2026

Camera traps don’t just help us monitor mountain bongos; they offer a glimpse into the wider forest ecosystem.​

These images from the Mountain Bongo Project’s camera traps have captured a remarkable variety of wildlife, including a tailless elephant in the Aberdares, a mixed-species sighting of bushbuck, baboons, and buffalo, and a leopard moving silently through the forest.​

Each image tells a story about the richness and diversity of these landscapes and highlights why protecting them matters.​

By safeguarding forest habitat, we are not only protecting the mountain bongo, but also the many species that depend on these forests for survival.​

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07/06/2026

Conservation is built on partnerships, and we are incredibly grateful for the support of the (MEP).​

Since incubating the Mountain Bongo Project (MBP) in 2025, MEP has provided invaluable support behind the scenes, helping strengthen our operations, communications, fundraising, and strategic development.​

Protecting a critically endangered species takes a team effort, and we are grateful for a partnership built on shared values, collaboration, and a long-term commitment to conservation.​

Together, we are working alongside Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Narok County Government, local communities, and conservation partners to help secure a future for Kenya's remaining wild mountain bongos and their forest habitat.​

Thank you to the entire Mara Elephant Project team for your continued support, partnership, and commitment to conservation.​

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05/06/2026

The Mau Forest.

One of East Africa's most vital water towers - and one of its most threatened.

From above, the scale of what remains is breathtaking. Dense montane forest, rivers running full, a landscape that has sustained wildlife and communities for generations. But the pressure is visible too. Encroachment advancing at the edges. The forest shrinking.

The Mau is not just a habitat. It is a lifeline - for the species that depend on it, and the millions of people downstream who rely on its rivers. Protecting it is not optional.

This World Environment Day, the Mountain Bongo Project stands for the forests that make everything else possible.

02/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who supported, shared, donated, and helped raise awareness this World Bongo Day. 🧡

Your support helps make this work possible.

While World Bongo Day may be over, the work to protect Kenya’s remaining wild mountain bongos continues every day.

From ranger patrols and camera trap monitoring to conservation education and habitat protection, teams on the ground continue working to safeguard one of the world’s rarest antelope and the forests they depend on.

With fewer than 100 mountain bongos remaining in the wild, every effort matters.

If you would still like to support our work, visit the link below to learn more and contribute to ongoing conservation efforts.
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https://mountainbongo.org/donate/

31/05/2026

Today is World Bongo Day. 🧡​

Hidden within Kenya’s montane forests lives one of the world’s rarest antelope. With fewer than 100 mountain bongos believed to remain in the wild, their future depends on the actions we take today.​

This film tells the story of a species on the brink, the forests it depends on, and the people working every day to protect both.​

Last year, camera traps in the Maasai Mau captured mountain bongos for the first time in many years, providing renewed hope for the future of this critically endangered species.​

But the challenges remain. Habitat loss, illegal logging, and other threats continue to put pressure on the mountain bongo and the forests it calls home.​

By protecting the mountain bongo, we help protect an entire ecosystem and the countless species that depend on it.​

This World Bongo Day, join us in helping secure a future for Kenya’s remaining wild mountain bongos.​
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Learn more and support our work here: https://mountainbongo.org/donate/​

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31/05/2026

31/05/2026

30/05/2026

As we approach World Bongo Day, we recognise the people helping shape the future of mountain bongo conservation. ​

In this short film, Mountain Bongo Project Head Ranger Laban Mwangi reflects on his journey into conservation, inspired by his father and a lifelong love of wildlife.​

Laban also shares his optimism for the future of the Maasai Mau Forest and the mountain bongo, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Narok County Government, and local communities in protecting this critical habitat.​

In 2025, Laban received the prestigious Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award in recognition of more than two decades of dedication to protecting Kenya’s forests and the critically endangered mountain bongo.​

This recognition reflects not only Laban’s leadership, but also the commitment of the many people working every day to protect one of the world's rarest antelope.​

Ahead of World Bongo Day tomorrow, we invite you to support the people helping make this work possible.​

Learn more and support our work here: https://mountainbongo.org/donate/
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Tusk

29/05/2026

As we approach World Bongo Day on May 31, this week’s Bongo Friday Fact highlights one of the many ways field teams monitor and track this critically endangered species in the wild.

Identifying mountain bongo tracks in the field is not always straightforward. Their tracks are very similar to those of waterbuck, a species that often shares the same habitat, making misidentification a common challenge, even for experienced trackers.

Research has shown that subtle differences in track shape can help distinguish the two. By comparing the ratio of length to width, bongo tracks tend to be more compact, while waterbuck tracks are more elongated.

These small but important distinctions support field teams in confirming bongo presence in areas where direct sightings are rare. At the Mountain Bongo Project, tracking and interpreting these signs forms a key part of our monitoring work on the ground.

Want to learn more? See Sandri et al. (2023) for further details and visit the link in our bio to learn more about the project and how you can support.