Projects · Aberdare Conservation Area
Mountain Bongo Recovery
Recovering Kenya’s critically endangered mountain bongo (fewer than 80 individuals estimated in the wild) through community surveillance, camera trapping and partner breeding programmes.
The mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) is a critically endangered forest-dwelling antelope found only in Kenya’s mountainous indigenous forests of Mt. Kenya, Aberdare and the Mau Complex. Field monitoring suggests fewer than 80 individuals remain across four ecosystems.
Rhino Ark focuses on Mt. Kenya and Mau Eburu, using camera traps and GIS with community teams drawn from neighbouring areas, turning pressure on the forest into protection through citizen science.
Recovery aims to restore healthy wild herds, drawing on captive populations in Kenya and abroad, while building forest-friendly livelihoods with adjacent households. Partners include KWS, KFS, Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo, Bongo Surveillance Project, Mt. Kenya Trust, Eburru Rafiki, Ragati River Management, and the Eburu, Ragati and Chehe Community Forest Associations.
Goals
- Wild population monitoringActive
- Community surveillance capacityActive
- Captive-wild recovery pathwayActive
Partners
- Bongo Surveillance Project
- Kenya Wildlife Service
- Kenya Forest Service
- Wilder Institute / Calgary Zoo
- Mt. Kenya Trust
Evidence
Reports and knowledge products connected to this programme.
- Rhino Ark Impact Report 2025
Reports · 2025
- 2024 Ragati CheheYear End Report Success Measures Feb2025
Reports · 2024
- TEK LEK Benefits for species recovery Sheppard etal.2024
Reports · 2024
- Evaluation of Road Projects in Aberdares
Reports