Baby Bongo Born at Busch Gardens
September 21, 2009
Try saying the title of this post five times fast. Alliteration and ZooBorns go together like, well, baby Bongos and Busch Gardens.
On September 13th, Busch Gardens welcomed a baby Bongo to the fold. Native to the rainforests of Africa, the endangered Eastern Mountain subspecies of Bongo has the most striking coloring of all bongos. Thanks to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and its member institutions, 18 zoo born Bongos were released back onto Mount Kenya in 2004, helping to repopulate the area.
Photo credits: Matt Marriott / Busch Gardens
TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 18, 2009) — Busch Gardens welcomed a baby bongo to the park Sept. 13. Bongo are native to the rainforests of Africa. Busch Gardens cares for the endangered Eastern Mountain subspecies of bongo. Their bright chestnut color becomes darker with age, and their body is highlighted with white stripes. The gestation period for this species is 9 to 9 ½ months. Amber and her calf will join the Serengeti Plain in a few months after having some time to bond. They can be viewed on a Serengeti Safari, from the Serengeti Express or from the Skyride.