PREVIEW

The Houston Zoo has welcomed an eastern bongo calf to its herd. Bongos are one of Africa’s most endangered antelope species with an estimated 100 bongos left in the wild.

The calf was born on 25 June 2025, weighing 46 pounds, and will be named very soon. He is healthy, thriving, and bonding with his mom, Bernadette.

The calf will live with the Zoo’s herd of female bongos including mom, Cara, and little Franny. Bobby, the Zoo’s 10-year-old male is the calf’s father. Guests can see the Zoo’s newest addition in the bongo yard located next to the okapis in the African Forest.

Eastern bongos are native to the forests in central Africa. Contrary to what some may think, the common name “bongo” has nothing to do with drums; it is an African tribal name that means antelope. Both males and females have spiraled horns made of keratin, the same as human fingernails and hair. They have a chestnut-colored coat with 12-14 cream-colored stripes on their side that provide camouflage from predators. Baby bongos are known to lie still in the undergrowth for a week or more after birth, with their mother returning regularly to nurse its calf.

The new calf has an older brother, two-year-old Harris, who will move to Houston Zoo’s sister zoo, Taipei Zoo, in the fall to help enhance the genetic diversity of its species in east Asia. The Zoo made this announcement Thursday, June 26 alongside Taipei Zoo, Houston First and EVA Air, the airline sponsoring Harris’ flight.

Guests can help save wild bongos by visiting the new calf at the Houston Zoo. A portion of each ticket and membership supports bongo conservation through field partnerships in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Zoo works with local communities and organizations to protect bongos’ habitats by removing snares in the areas where the antelopes live and by restoring forests through community-led reforestation.