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Male Bongo brought to the country from the Czech Republic in April.[ Edward Kiplimo, Standard]
The road to Nanyuki cuts through open land, green grass, and goats and sheep lounging lazily in the morning sun. Nestled on the cool, green foothills of Mount Kenya, the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC) is home to an unlikely mix of rescued wildlife, including giraffes, rhinos, ostriches, hyenas and Egyptian geese. But it is one shy, chestnut-coated resident, the critically endangered mountain bongo, that draws us here at 9 am, the air sharp with cold despite the bright sunshine overhead.
At the heart of the conservancy lies a rescue and rehabilitation centre. Dorice Habwe Andetse, the Conservancy’s Resource Mobilisation Manager, says animals that can be treated are returned to the wild, while those too dependent on human care find a permanent home there.
“We rescue injured, stressed and problematic animals. Once they arrive, they are assessed by our team and returned to their natural habitats as soon as possible,” she says.
