DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, and Tusk, an organization dedicated to accelerating the impact of Africa-driven conservation, joined forces to transport 17 endangered mountain bongo antelopes from Florida’s Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF) to a sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Kenya, run by the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust.
Bred in Florida, mountain bongos are on the verge of extinction, with fewer than 100 remaining in the wild due to poaching, forest degradation and habitat fragmentation.
“The return of 17 critically endangered mountain bongos from Florida to Kenya is a significant step in restoring this critically endangered species to its native habitat and demonstrates the conservation progress that can be made through collaboration,” says Charlie Mayhew, founder and president of Tusk. “We are hugely grateful to our global partner DHL Express for their generous support in transporting the bongos — yet another key milestone in the partnership between our organizations. DHL’s dedication to environmental sustainability, and its role as a responsible corporate partner in supporting Tusk’s mission to protect Africa’s wildlife and natural habitat, is invaluable.”
To ensure the safe and seamless transfer of the bongos, DHL used its specialized logistics expertise, providing a dedicated aircraft to transport the full herd together. The journey spanned 7,146 nautical miles, departing from Palm Beach International Airport and arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
The mountain bongos traveled in custom-built crates alongside six tons of pelleted feed and a team of three specialist animal care staff, including a veterinarian and two bongo experts from the United States. Upon arrival in Kenya, they were released into a 20-acre sanctuary established by the Kenya Forest Service for their long-term care and recovery.
“Bringing the bongos back to Kenya is a great moment in the restoration of the country’s natural heritage. For decades, these animals have been largely absent from the very forests where they belong, and this project will be crucial in reversing that loss. Seeing them set foot on Kenyan soil again is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when organizations work together,” says Mike Watson, CEO of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, who helped coordinate the repatriation.
Formed by 12 female and five male bongo antelopes, the herd will remain in paddocks to breed safely. The offspring will be gradually reintroduced into Mount Kenya’s forest ecosystem, from which they have been absent for more than 40 years.
For more information, visit group.dhl.com.
Photo courtesy of Peter Ndung’u for Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Mountain Bongos Antelopes Released in Kenya