Endangered Bongo Born In Valencia Zoo

A critically endangered bongo has been  born in a Spanish zoo during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) was born in the Bioparc Valencia zoo in the city of Valencia, in the eastern Spanish region of the same name.

The birth of the endangered bongo came after the father, named Kani, 11, died in March after suffering from a degenerative liver disease.

In the video, 12-year-old mother Elewa can be seen lying on the ground as she gives birth to the baby bongo.

The mother can be seen licking the baby as it lies on the ground after its birth and it can then be seen tentatively on its feet as its mother continues cleaning it.

The mountain bongo is an exotic antelope from the African forest and it is believed there are fewer than 100 animals in the wild in Kenya.

The zoo said the birth is “a success for an international project that is fighting to save from this species from extinction”.

The baby is the fourth offspring from the parents, with the previous births taking place in 2013, 2016, 2017.

The other three offspring have been taken to other institutions to create new breeding groups.

Zookeepers said they were happy with the birth and it showed that the coronavirus lockdown is not affecting the development of the zoo’s animals.

Staff at the zoo are reportedly monitoring the development of the mother and baby who are both reportedly well.

The mountain bongo has fewer individuals in the wild than in captivity, with logging and poaching the main threats to its existence.