Kingdom : Animalia Class : Mammalia Family : Bovidae Scientific Name : Tragelaphus eurycerus Colour : Orange, Red, Chestnut, White, Brown,Black Skin Type : Fur Size(L) : 1.7m - 2.5m (5.5ft - 8.25ft) Weight : 150kg - 220kg (330lbs - 484lbs) Top Speed : 70km/h (43mph) Life Span : 10 - 18 years Most Distinctive Feature : 10 - 15 white stripes on body Fun Fact : Long and heavy spiralled horns!
- Bongos are large species of Antelopes found in the African Jungles.
- There are 2 subspecies- The Mountain or The Eastern Bongo and the Lowland or The Western Bongo.
- They are one of the most distinctive species of Antelopes with long spiral horns (with one or one and a half twists).
- They are the largest antelope species to inhabit the forests.
- They have around 10-15 vertical white stripes on their chestnut fur and several distinctive marking on their face and chest.
- They have an excellent sense of hearing aided by their large ears and have a prehensile tongue.
- The males are larger than the females with longer horns, some males grow horns up to 90cm long.
- They are nocturnal animals which are hard to spot because of their shy and elusive nature.
- Male bongos are solitary coming together with other animals only to breed.
- Although the females often form herd with other females and their young ones for protection.
- Bongos communicate through sounds like grunts, snorts, moos etc, when in distress or to warn against danger.
- The female bongos give birth to a single calf after a 9-month gestation, in dense vegetation to prevent predators.
- Bongos are herbivores feeding selectively on leaves, roots, bark and grass.
- They have a four chambered ruminating stomach to help the digest and get the maximum nutrition from plant matter.
- Their natural predators include leopards, lions and some young bongos are preyed upon by Pythons and Hyenas.
- Interestingly, they polish and smoothen their horns by rubbing them on trees.
- Due to habitat loss, bongos are a species that are near threatened.