Scientists cry with emotion: they capture a mountain bongo, a strange species in danger of extinction ...
Scientists cry with emotion: they capture a mountain bongo, a strange species in danger of extinction of which only 100 specimens remain alive in the world
By Adrian Villellas
Posted on: June 22, 2026 at 6:42 p.m
An animal so rare that many rangers only know it from footprints, excrement or blurry images has just returned to the world spotlight. Camera traps installed in the Maasai Mau forest in Kenya have captured the mountain bongo, a critically endangered antelope extinction that conservationists feared lost in that area for more than half a decade.
The discovery does not mean that the species is saved. But it does change the map of hope. The latest data remains harsh, with only 28 individuals detected by AI-supported cameras in Aberdare stronghold and fewer than 40 according to ranger confirmations. Still, seeing bongos on Maasai Mau, about 200 kilometers from Aberdare, opens a door that seemed closed.
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Why this animal matters so much
The mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) is one of the most striking forest antelopes in Africa. It has a reddish-brown coat, vertical white stripes, and spiral horns. It seems easy to see, but just the opposite is true. In the shadow of the forest he camouflages himself as if the mountain swallowed him.
That's why many call him the «forest spirit».
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What happens now
The next step will be to convert these images into real protection. Mara Elephant Project explained that the photo recovered in January, taken in December 2025, was the first confirmed bongo camera trap record in Mau since 2018. This data will be used to guide patrols, place new cameras and design long-term conservation strategies.
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https://www.ecoticias.com/naturaleza/los-cientificos-lloran-de-emocion-captan-un-bongo-de-la-montana-una-extrana-especie-en-peligro-de-extincion-de-la-que-solo-quedan-100-ejemplares-vivos-en-el-mundo
= new reply since forum marked as read
...they might plan another hunt.
