The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC) has partnered with the Kenya Wildlife Service to release ten adult Mountain Bongos into the Mawingu Mountain Bongo Sanctuary in Laikipia County.
The Mawingu Mountain Bongo Sanctuary, established in 2022, is the world’s first sanctuary dedicated to the Mountain Bongo.
Initially stocked with ten Mountain Bongos, the 776-acre sanctuary has since witnessed the birth of four calves.
Speaking during the event, First Lady Rachel Ruto said that the move is a crucial step in protecting endangered species and preserving their habitats.
“Currently, an estimated 100 Bongos exist across four isolated Kenyan locations, including the Mount Kenya Wildlife Sanctuary,” she said
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Further, she said conservation is central to tourism’s success, as it protects the natural wonders and wildlife that attract visitors.
On his part, KWS Director General Erustus Kanga acknowledged positive trends in Kenya’s wildlife population, citing the 2021 National Wildlife Census Report.
However, Kanga expressed concern regarding the Mountain Bongo, of which fewer than 100 remain in the wild of Mt Kenya and Aberdare National Park.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua emphasized the government’s commitment to the National Recovery and Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo.
He noted that the government is working towards rescuing the species from the brink of extinction through strategic conservation initiatives.
CS Mutua stressed the need to revamp Kenya's marketing strategies as a tourist destination.
