‘The pitter patter of bongo hooves’: baby antelopes born in Belfast Zoo

Two baby eastern bongos have born just two weeks apart in Belfast Zoo.

Eastern bongos are a critically endangered African forest antelope, with fewer than 200 left in the wild.

The sex of the new calves is not yet known as zookeepers are giving the calves time to bond with their mothers , Kibibi and Surali and the rest of their family, including their siblings Jumapili, Pasaka and Nollaig.

Eastern bongos have red, stripy coats which act as camouflage from predators when hiding amongst the forest trees.

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Unlike most antelopes, both male and female bongos have long spiralling horns. Bongos can tilt their horns back to reduce any obstruction while running through the forests in their native Kenya. They are herbivores and eat leaves, shoots, grasses and shrubs.

“We are thrilled to hear the pitter patter of several baby bongo hooves in the paddock,” said Raymond Robinson, zoo curator.

Belfast Zoo has welcomed several eastern bongo calves in recent years. Belfast-born bongos have moved to other zoos around the world as part of collaborative breeding programmes to provide a “safety net” population of animals at risk of extinction.

“We are extremely proud of our contribution to the survival of this rare mammal,” said Mr Robinson.

Other recent additions to the zoo include a coppery titi monkey baby and a western lowland gorilla infant.