1. observations
  2. Weekly Dose of Cute: Bongo, baby!

Weekly Dose of Cute: Bongo, baby!

By cwilcox on November 5, 2009.

No, not the small little drums. I'm talking about Bongos, the vibrant antelopes:

c/o the Houston Zoo and ZooBorns

Bongos are a kind of large antelope native to the lowlands and some mountains of Africa. They're at least two different subspecies: Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus (the lowland bongo) and Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci (the eastern or mountain bongo). Both subspecies are facing constant threats; the lowland bongo is listed as near-threatened by the IUCN and the mountain bongo is endangered, with more specimens in captivity than in the wild (~400 in Zoos in North America). The eastern bongo is one of the most threatened large mammals in Africa, with the most recent estimates numbering less than 140 animals, far below a minimum sustainable viable population. Captive breeding is this subspecies last shot at survival.

On a completely side note, this reminds me of a Manu Chao song... I'm the king of bongo, baby, I'm the king of bongo-bong. King of the bongo, king of the bongo...

Tags
Baby Animals
Bongo
cute
Weekly Dose of Cute

More like this

Weekly Dose of Cute
I was going to try and do something non-furry to continue to explore cuteness on other branches of the tree of life, but this little guy just made my heart melt and I couldn't, in good conscience, post anything else. HT ZoobornsThis adorable little cub is a Black Jaguar, born on April 14th in Peru…
1/4 of mammals on the brink of extinction
How's that for a frightening figure? 1/4 of all mammals on earth are on the IUCN's newest "Red List," animals threatened with extinction - that's 1,141 of them, at least, with 188 being 'critically endangered.' I say 'at least' because almost as many - 836 of them - are 'data deficient,' which…
The World's Rarest Species
The Wildlife Conservation Society has just released their newest book, State of the Wild 2010-2011. It's a collection of essays that center around current and emerging issues in conservation from conservation experts and powerful nature writers. It's a must-read for anyone driven to understand and…
Weekly Dose of Cute: Bunnies
What's cuter than bunnies? Pygmy bunnies! What's cuter than pygmy bunnies? Baby pygmy bunnies! While they're unbelievably cute, these little guys are more than just adorable - they're the last remaining hope for their local population. Pygmy rabbits were once found throughout the Northwestern…