GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The John Ball Zoo recently announced the birth of a female Eastern Mountain Bongo, one of the largest forest antelopes.
Carrot, a four-year-old bongo, and Beckson, a 10-year-old male bongo, had their baby, Chestnut, on July 23, the press release said. It is the couple’s second calf after the birth of a male bongo named Sprout last year.
According to zoo staff, Chestnut is healthy and currently behind the scenes with her mother, Carrot. Guests will be able to see the two in their outdoor enclosure next week.
Related: Three more penguin babies born at John Ball Zoo
“We are incredibly excited to welcome our newest addition to John Ball Zoo, a healthy female bongo calf,” said Tim Sampson, curator of John Ball Zoo. “The birth of an endangered species is a significant milestone for the conservation of this amazing species. We are pleased to report that mother and baby are doing well.”
The Eastern Mountain Bongo, which is found primarily in the forested mountains of Kenya, is an endangered species due to poaching, habitat destruction and illegal trapping.
Carrot and Beckson are a recommended breeding pair under the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan Program, in which experts work together to maximize genetic diversity and manage species demographic distribution and sustainability.
The exciting birth follows other births at the John Ball Zoo, including a snow leopard cub, three lynx cubs and the hatching of three penguin chicks.
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