AI cameras, GPS tracking to guide Kenya’s mountain bongo recovery

Kenya is intensifying its efforts to rescue the mountain bongo, an endangered species of antelope, by employing artificial intelligence cameras, GPS tracking, and camera traps. This conservation strategy is part of the National Recovery and Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo 2026–2030, which was introduced in Nanyuki on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

The mountain bongo, native to Kenya, is one of the country's most threatened mammals, with only fewer than 65 individuals estimated to survive in the wild. These remaining animals are scattered across fragmented forests in the Aberdares, Maasai Mau, and Eburu Forest regions.

Dr Patrick Omondi, Director and CEO of the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, expressed concern over the dwindling numbers, noting that the actual count might be slightly higher, possibly reaching 88, due to the animals' elusive nature in dense forests. The AI-assisted cameras, GPS tracking, and traditional camera traps will be instrumental in pinpointing the locations of the surviving animals, understanding their movement patterns, and studying their habitat usage.

These technologies will build upon ecological studies conducted under the previous five-year recovery plan, which also utilized camera traps and AI systems to locate and analyze the remaining mountain bongo populations.

The conservation teams will conduct vegetation surveys and environmental assessments, gathering information from forest-edge communities and individuals who possess historical knowledge of areas where mountain bongos once thrived. This data will aid in identifying suitable habitats for the species' reintroduction and monitoring them before and after their release. Potential restoration sites include Mount Kenya, Eburu Forest, and other montane forests that once supported mountain bongo populations.

Prior to release, the animals will undergo veterinary checks, quarantine, and acclimatization to ensure their readiness for life in the wild. Upon release, the conservation teams will continue using GPS tracking, camera traps, ranger patrols, and direct observation to monitor the animals' survival, behavior, habitat use, and reproduction rates.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General, Prof Erustus Kanga, emphasized the immediate focus on protecting existing wild groups and their forests, managing genetic and disease risks, and preparing both the animals and release sites.

The recovery program will also build upon existing breeding efforts in Kenya and abroad. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy has successfully bred and reintroduced mountain bongos since 2004, currently managing about 100 animals. The Kenya Wildlife Service has further expanded the breeding program by incorporating animals from international sources.

In February 2025, 17 mountain bongos arrived from Florida, comprising 12 females and five males. In April 2026, four genetically valuable males were added from Europe, with two originating from Germany and one each from the Czech Republic and Denmark. An additional eight animals are expected from the United States in December. A second breeding base at the Marania and Moshene programs in Meru is anticipated to enhance Kenya's capacity to prepare animals for eventual release into their natural habitat.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano announced that the recovery plan aims to increase the national mountain bongo population by 50% by 2030, with a long-term target of achieving 750 self-sustaining animals by 2075. The plan also involves local forest-edge communities in conservation efforts, monitoring, education, and livelihood programs linked to habitat protection.