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The Virginia Zoo says three new baby bongos have joined the herd. The new arrivals, two female and one male, were born between late September and mid-October.

Photo courtesy Virginia Zoo

This female bongo is one of three born recently at the Virginia Zoo.

All three calves share the same father, whose name is “Thunder.”

The first female, Eva, was born on September 23. A male calf, Jasper, was born Friday, October 10, and the other female, Bella, joined the herd Sunday, October 12.

“We have become bongo heaven,” says Greg Bockheim, executive director of the Virginia Zoo. “We added Thunder to the herd last year, with the hopes that he would breed with our three adult females and sire calves. He exceeded our expectations this year.”

The baby bongos are a crowd favorite with their large ears and playful baby antics. Eastern bongos are native to Africa and highly endangered in the wild.

Although bongos have a reclusive nature, zoo spokeswoman Diane Paluzzi says their bongos are very calm and friendly. The animals are part of the Zoo’s participation in the Species Survival Plan, designed to preserve the species and maintain a genetically healthy population. 

Bongos raised previously at the Virginia Zoo were relocated to African as part of the Bongo Repatriation to Mount Kenya Project.  Bongos are nearly extinct in Africa’s Mount Kenya due to hunting, poaching and habitat destruction.

Eleven baby bongo have been born to that herd and are living safely in the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.  In May 2008, the project welcomed the second generation of bongos born to the repatriated American bongos. 

“Conservationists hope that in three to five generations, the bongos will be accustomed to the wild and ready to be set free outside the preserve,” said Bockheim.