DUBLIN Zoo is celebrating the birth of a healthy eastern bongo calf, a species classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Born on the 20th of February to mother Annabel, the female calf is steadily gaining weight and thriving.
Two-and-a-half-year-old Annabel is a first-time mother who arrived pregnant to Dublin Zoo from Belfast Zoo in August last year. With no mating date confirmed, it was difficult to calculate Annabel’s due date, so Dublin Zoo’s animal care team carefully monitored her throughout her pregnancy to make sure there were no surprises.
During regular weigh-ins, Annabel’s weight steadily increased, and her abdomen began to visibly round. In the days leading up to the birth, further signs including a loosening of muscles, tendons and ligaments over her rump indicated to Dublin Zoo’s animal care team that the calf’s arrival was imminent.
A camera was set up in Annabel’s indoor habitat on February 19th, monitoring her in the comfortable bedding provided to make her as comfortable as possible ahead of the delivery.
Annabel chose to deliver in an off-camera section of her habitat however, so Dublin Zoo staff were surprised to discover a beautiful healthy calf on the morning of February 20th!
Bringing Dublin Zoo’s eastern bongo herd to three, the arrival of Annabel’s healthy calf marks an important milestone to the conservation programme for the species.
Fewer than 100 eastern bongos remain in the wild.
Found only in the mountain forests of Kenya, these beautiful antelopes (with distinctive stripes) face growing threats from habitat destruction, illegal hunting and human-wildlife coexistence.
Dublin Zoo is proud to support the Mountain Bongo Surveillance Project in Kenya, which plays a vital role in protecting this species. By monitoring wild populations and working with local communities, the project helps safeguard the future of eastern bongos in their natural habitat.
Dublin Zoo Team Leader Helen Clarke told The Irish Post: “We’re absolutely delighted to announce the birth of a beautiful female eastern bongo calf here at Dublin Zoo.
Although her first few days were a little challenging—she needed bottle feeding as she initially struggled to suckle—her progress since then has been fantastic.
She began suckling naturally on the 25th of February, and it’s been wonderful to watch the bond between her and her mother Annabel grow stronger each day.
Dublin ZooVisitors hoping to catch a glimpse of our newest arrival will have the best luck on sunny days—she’s already showing a love for basking in the sunshine beside her Mam!”
Helen also emphasised the significance of the birth from a conservation perspective,
“This birth is particularly special given the critically endangered status of eastern bongos, with fewer than 100 believed to remain in the wild. Every new arrival is a vital step forward in the conservation of this rare and beautiful species.”