On brink of extinction, a new hope for Kenya's forest antelope

An endangered female Mountain Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) is seen at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy near Nanyuki, Kenya on March 9, 2022. [REUTERS/Baz Ratner]

Still dizzy from the tranquilizer, a mountain bongo made its first uncertain steps outside captivity as conservationists in Kenya opened a sanctuary they hope can bring the endemic forest antelope back from the brink of extinction.

A combination of disease, poaching and loss of forest habitat from illegal logging and agriculture have left fewer than 100 mountain bongos in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).