BR Zoo begins breeding baby bongos

If a BREC zoo program is successful, Baton Rouge-born bongos may one day roam forests near Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa.

Currently, there are more Mountain bongos in zoos than in the wild, where wild population is estimated to total only 140 animals. Over the years, the shy, secretive, caramel-colored antelope with white stripes have been hunted for trophies, skins and meat; their numbers have also decreased due to habitat loss and disease introduced by domestic cattle.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is trying to save the species from extinction with a structured breeding program.

Since its inception 45 years ago, the Baton Rouge zoo has had a breeding program. “But it wasn’t until the mid-80s that the AZA developed cooperative programs,” explains Baton Rouge Zoo Assistant Director Sam Winslow. “Since then, [the AZA’s 6,000 member zoos] have really pooled their animals together in an organized manner to have better breeding programs as far as managing the genetics.”

Interestingly, breeding animals for return to the wild requires the reversing the process of breeding domestic animals. “With a domestic animal, you’re going to breed for a specific trait whether it be confirmation color, milk production, etc.,” says Winslow. “You do line breeding for those things.

“With animals that we want to return to the wild, we try to do strictly genetic base.”

As a participant in the AZA’s Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo welcomed a breeding pair of bongos in 2011. The AZA chose to bring together a male from Los Angeles Zoo and a female from the Virginia Zoo based on genetic criteria.

The Baton Rouge Zoo is participating in 50 SSPs, which include everything from Louisiana pine snakes to primates and big cats to elephants. Some involve breeding and others require holding animals to prevent them from being over bred.

The AZA has already had some success with its bongo re-population. In 2004, the nonprofit collaborated with local conservationists to build a 100-acre release site for the hoofstock. The effort resulted in 20 American-born bongos being brought to Africa. The mission cost an estimated $500,000 because the animals had to be quarantined to make sure they would not introduce disease into the wild population.

Only time will tell if the Baton Rouge bongos will produce offspring who return to their native habitat. Either way, the breeding program benefits Capital City critter connoisseurs by giving them the opportunity to get a glimpse of this rare, beautiful animal.

“People come here mainly to have a good time,” says Winslow. “But it really helps to have people learn about the animals and their plight in the wild. We’re not just out here for a recreational opportunity but [to encourage people] to support conservation efforts that are going on.”

Click here to see some of Project Purr’s adorable adoptable felines.

Click here for this week’s City Lynx.