Overview
The largest African forest antelope. Its large size puts it as the third-largest in the Bovidae tribe of Strepsicerotini, behind both the common and greater elands by about 300 kg (660 lb), and above the greater kudu by about 40 kg (88 lb). It has a large body with a hunched back, stout legs, very large ears and a long tufted tail. Coat is smooth and short, bright chestnut red in color, with 10-14 vertical white stripes to a side. There is a black and white dorsal crest of stiff hairs, a white facial chevron, white marks on the cheeks, and a white crescent on the breast. Underparts are black, the legs are black with white markings, and the tail has a black tip. Both sexes grow large, smooth horns, with two slight keels, forming an open spiral of about 1-1/2 turns. Females are similar to males, but smaller, with shorter, narrower, straighter horns. They are the only tragelaphid in which both sexes have horns. The Mountain bongo (Tragelaphus euryceros isacci) is said to have more vibrant colors than the Lowland bongo (Tragelaphus euryceros euryceros). The horns of bongos are in the form of a lyre and bear a resemblance to those of the related antelope species of nyalas, sitatungas, bushbucks, kudus and elands. Unlike deer, which have branched antlers shed annually, bongos and other antelopes have pointed horns they keep throughout their lives. Males have massive backswept horns, while females have smaller, thinner, and more parallel horns. The size of the horns range between 75 and 99 cm (29.5 and 39 in). The horns twist once. Like all other horns of antelopes, the core of a bongo's horn is hollow and the outer layer of the horn is made of keratin, the same material that makes up human fingernails, toenails. and hair.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Tragelaphus
- Species
- Tragelaphus euryceros
Habitat
Favour disturbed forest mosaics that provide fresh, low-level green vegetation. Such habitats may be promoted by heavy browsing by elephants, fires, flooding, tree-felling (natural or by logging), and fallowing. Mass bamboo die-off provides ideal habitat. They can live in bamboo forests.
Diet
Like many forest ungulates, bongos are herbivorous browsers and feed on leaves, bushes, vines, bark and pith of rotting trees, grasses/herbs, roots, cereals, and fruits. Bongos require salt in their diets, and are known to regularly visit natural salt licks. Examination of bongo feces revealed that charcoal from trees burnt by lightning is consumed. This behavior is believed to be a means of getting salts and minerals into their diets. This behavior has also been reported in the okapi. Another similarity to the okapi, though the bongo is unrelated, is that the bongo has a long prehensile tongue which it uses to grasp grasses and leaves. Suitable habitats for bongos must have permanent water available. As a large animal, the bongo requires an ample amount of food, and is restricted to areas with abundant year-round growth of herbs and low shrubs.
Behavior
Shy, wary, elusive and mostly nocturnal. Like other forest ungulates, bongos are seldom seen in large groups. Males, called bulls, tend to be solitary, while females with young live in groups of six to eight. Bongos have seldom been seen in herds of more than 20. As young males mature and leave their maternal groups, they most often remain solitary, although rarely they join an older male. Adult males of similar size/age tend to avoid one another. Occasionally, they meet and spar with their horns in a ritualised manner and it is rare for serious fights to take place. However, such fights are usually discouraged by visual displays, in which the males bulge their necks, roll their eyes, and hold their horns in a vertical position while slowly pacing back and forth in front of the other male. They seek out females only during mating time. When they are with a herd of females, males do not coerce them or try to restrict their movements as do some other antelopes. Although mostly nocturnal, they are occasionally active during the day. However, like deer, bongos may exhibit crepuscular behaviour. Bongos are both timid and easily frightened; after a scare, a bongo moves away at considerable speed, even through dense undergrowth. Once they find cover, they stay alert and face away from the disturbance, but peek every now and then to check the situation. The bongo's hindquarters are less conspicuous than the forequarters, and from this position the animal can quickly flee.
Hunting
Currently, only the Lowland bongo is hunted legally, as Kenya banned hunting in the 1970's and the Mountain bongo resides solely in central Kenya. Before hunting was banned in Kenya, the Mountain bongo was said to be a more difficult hunt than the Lowland bongo due to the steeper and more wet habitat that it lives in. Bongo are hunted in dense forest and at close ranges. Most hunts are done with dogs, however, the hunt can be done without them, but at a much lower chance of success. They can be hunted over salt licks and water holes. This is a true adventure hunt into the jungle of Africa. Legalized and regulated hunting is a positive effect on this species as it brings a value to this specie that other African tourism industries can't. They live in true remote wildnerness areas and are incredibly difficult to find making photographic safaris not feasible on a large scale to help support this species. A legalized and regulated hunting plan for this species drastically cuts back both meat-poaching and deforestation by providing the local people with a renewable food resource and jobs which gives them a reason to not have to alter the bongo's habitat for the good of their own community. It also provides critical anti-poaching and a degree of stabilization in areas where legitimate governments have trouble maintaining security. The Lowland bongo benefits greatly from regulated hunting and it's current population status and population trends exemplify that when compared to the Mountain bongo and Kenya's decision to ban hunting over 40 years ago without ever bringing it back. If Kenya opened back to regulated hunting and a plan was effectively put in place, even if it was just the hunting of other species in the Mountain bongo's habitat, it would create a value for their habitat and combat the number one threat to this subspecies which is habitat destruction, human encroachment, farming, deforestation, etc.. We hope that Kenya wil re-think their policy in this regards and there are a multitude of people, non-profit organizations, for-profit business's, and government organizations from both outside and inside Kenya that are ready to work together to implement regulations and plans for both Kenya and the other countries where the Lowland bongo lives to support this specie through the number one conservation tool available to man- regulated and conservation minded hunting that focuses on doing the most good for the wildlife, the communities surrounding that wildlife, and the people across the world who enjoy that wildlife through methods of their choosing whether that is photography, videography, taxidermy, or as a food source through hunting.
Conservation Status
The IUCN Antelope Specialist Group lists the Lowland bongo is listed as Near Threatened and the Mountain bongo as Critically Endangered. The western/lowland bongo faces an ongoing population decline as habitat destruction and hunting pressures increase with the relentless expansion of human settlement. Its long-term survival will only be assured in areas which receive active protection and management. At present, such areas comprise about 30,000 km2, and several are in countries where political stability is fragile. So, a realistic possibility exists whereby its status could decline to Threatened in the near future. Regulated hunting has the potential to provide economic justification for the preservation of larger areas of bongo habitat than national parks, especially in remote regions of Central Africa, where possibilities for commercially successful tourism are very limited.