Paignton Zoo welcomes Koffi, a critically rare eastern bongo, joining a vital international breeding program.
A female bongo came from Folly Farm. Her name is Koffi. She will join Bowie and Ada, who already live at the zoo. Experts say bongos could vanish soon, possibly in Kenya, in just twenty years.
Liam Southern is a zookeeper. He said breeding is vital now, as wild eastern bongos number less than 100. Paignton Zoo has great facilities, and the early signs look good for breeding.
The eastern bongo is a big antelope that lives in the forest. It is as important as lions and rhinos too.
EAZA runs this breeding program, pairing animals carefully to keep captive bongos genetically diverse. They manage pairings in zoos.
Zoos need to breed animals to prevent extinction of species. Good matches are key here, and integration into groups matters too. People think of lions, rhinos, and orangutans at Paignton Zoo. Bongos are as amazing as they are, and their story is really interesting. Visit them during your trip to the zoo.