A total of 17 mountain bongos, a critically endangered antelope species, have been transported from Florida (USA) to Kenya aboard a DHL Express aircraft, as part of an international logistics operation linked to a reintroduction program into their natural habitat.
According to information released by the company and shared by involved organizations, the animals were captive-bred at the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF) in the United States and were transferred to a conservation sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Kenya, managed by the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust.
The bongos—a species native to Africa with a wild population estimated at fewer than 100 individuals—traveled in specially designed crates, accompanied by six tons of pellet feed and a team consisting of a veterinarian and two bongo specialists from the U.S.
The operation was coordinated in partnership with the Tusk NGO, which supports conservation projects in Africa, and involved the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the MBRCT, and Kenya’s forest authorities. The flight covered 7,146 nautical miles between Palm Beach International Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
The animals were released into a 20-acre (~8-hectare) sanctuary dedicated to their long-term care and recovery. The initiative is part of Kenya’s national mountain bongo recovery plan, which local authorities have emphasized as vital to reversing the extinction of the species in the country’s forests, where no wild bongos had been seen for over 40 years.
The herd, made up of 12 females and 5 males, will initially remain in controlled enclosures to ensure safe adaptation and breeding. Future offspring will be gradually reintroduced into Mount Kenya’s forest ecosystem.
"We are extremely proud to leverage our global network to help transport these critically endangered bongos to their new sanctuary in Kenya," said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Europe. "The logistics behind such missions are highly complex, and the welfare of the animals is always our top priority," he added.
Meanwhile, Mike Watson, CEO of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, stated: "Bringing the bongos back to Kenya is a milestone in restoring the country’s natural heritage. They have been absent from their rightful forests for decades."
The project also includes the involvement of local communities, who will help manage the sanctuary through education and employment programs related to conservation.
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