Welcome, Denver!

Our Eastern bongo herd has grown – and we’re not talking about our new calf!

A 1-year-old female bongo named Clover arrived on October 21. Yes, we now have two adult female bongos named Clover! Our animal care team has nicknamed the newbie “Denver,” so we’ll do the same in this blogpost.

During transport, Denver did sustain a few scrapes, which have been treated. She’s been introduced to the rest of our bongo herd which is made up of Clover and her two offspring – 1-year-old Ginger and the yet-to-be named calf – along with their sire, Sebastian.

Denver joins our Zoo under a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). This program ensures that there are healthy, genetically diverse populations of animals within AZA-accredited zoos.

Denver has been matched with Sebastian. Bongos typically reach sexual maturity at about 2 to 2½ years old, so the newbie will have time to acclimate to the rest of our herd and trainyard animals.

Eastern, or Mountain, bongo are critically endangered in their native range in Kenya due to habitat loss and poaching. This makes having a reserve population of this species especially important.

The Zoo’s Eastern bongos, along with other animal residents like our dromedary camels, Ankole-Watusi cattle and marabou stork, are visible from our Cape to Cairo Express train, which takes guests through their habitat. All our bongos can potentially be seen from the train.

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.