Zookeepers at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire are celebrating the birth of a rare species of antelope. Staff said the calf was “doing really well” after being born to mother Canela and father Ituri on Monday.
Rhianna added: “We will leave them together to bond without any disturbance from us.”
The sex of the calf is currently unknown.
Mountain bongos are an endangered species of antelope. According to Tusk, there are only “100 individuals across four isolated locations in Kenya”.
Mainly found in the Kenyan highlands, they can live for up to 20 years.
Tusk added: “The decline of the mountain bongo has been caused by habitat loss and illegal hunting with dogs. Disease (such as rinderpest) caught from grazing cattle is also thought to have been a significant factor in their historic decline.
“Habitat protection and monitoring of the small remaining populations is critical for their survival, while captive breeding and reintroduction to Mount Kenya could also play a role (there are more mountain bongo in captivity than in the wild).”