Eastern Bongo in Australian Zoos

Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Eastern Bongo in Australian Zoos

I’m wanting to know more about Eastern bongo held in Australian zoos. If anyone could help with any of the five questions below, that’d be awesome. I’m interested to hear about the history of any bongos, but it seems logical to start with Djembe and her offspring:

Djembe:

0.1 Djembe born 15/09/2008 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Unknown x Nambala)

1. Who was the sire of Djembe?

Djembe has given birth to the following calves:

0.1 Kiazi born 02/04/2012 at Taronga Zoo (Ekundu x Djembe) > Sent to Singapore Zoo 2014
1.0 Tambo born 29/11/2013 at Taronga Zoo (Ekundu x Djembe)
1.0 Mshindi born 08/02/2015 at Taronga Zoo (Ekundu x Djembe)
1.0 Kamau born 05/09/2018 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Kulungu x Djembe) > Still at TWPZ
1.0 Jabali born 01/12/2019 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Kulungu x Djembe) > Died 2020

Mshindi was reported to be Djembe’s third calf; and Kamau and Jabali her fifth and sixth. What was the date of birth of Djembe’s fourth calf? I’m assuming it was a stillbirth/non surviving calf in either 2016 or 2017.

2. What happened to Tambo and Mshindi? What zoos did they go to and when?

Additional Questions:

It was noted on ZooChat that Nambala was born 1995 at San Diego Zoo and died 17/07/2012. Many people have said she was the mother of a bongo named Shani. The only reference I can find to Shani is this article:

Bongo playing shy for cameras

It notes Shani arrived in 1996 from San Diego Zoo and that she gave birth to:

0.1 Bintu born 00/08/2004 Taronga Western Plains Zoo
1.0 Ekundu born 00/12/2005 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo

3. If Nambala was born 1995 and this article is accurate, Nambala couldn’t have Shani’s dam. Can someone confirm?

4. What happened to Bintu? Did she die or was she exported?

Taronga Western Plains Zoo have a female named Maisha from Singapore Zoo. From this article, it appears she was born late 2013:

Meet our newest visitor, Maisha the Bongo

5. Does anyone know Maisha’s DOB?
 
Zoofan15 said:
2. What happened to Tambo and Mshindi? What zoos did they go to and when?
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I believe Mshindi is currently at Altina Wildlife Park and is their only bongo. He arrived at Altina in 2016. Altina also had another male bongo, Madiba (born at Melbourne in 2013) but he died in July 2016 from a congenital heart condition.

According to this article, Tambo moved to Taronga Western Plains Zoo to join their male, Kulungu in 2015. Not sure what happened to him.
Bongo Bachelor Pad
 
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There's an Eastern Bongo studbook (from 2012) online and (currently) publicly accessible. I can't link you to it from my phone but go onto Google and type in "Eastern Bongo Studbook" and it should be at the top of the page.
 
Nisha said:
There's an Eastern Bongo studbook (from 2012) online and (currently) publicly accessible. I can't link you to it from my phone but go onto Google and type in "Eastern Bongo Studbook" and it should be at the top of the page.
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I just found it as you were typing! It’s here:

http://www.easternbongo.org/public/.../pdf/2012_Bongo_International27l_Studbook.pdf

Nambala (F)
Born at San Diego Zoo 19/08/1995
Sent to Taronga Zoo 27/08/1996
Sent to Taronga Western Plains Zoo 24/05/2005
Sent to Taronga Zoo 12/05/2010
Died at Taronga Zoo 17/07/2012

Calves:

Ndugu (M)
Born at Taronga Zoo 24/12/2000
Sent to Adelaide Zoo 23/05/2002
Sent to Melbourne Zoo 06/08/2008
Still at Melbourne Zoo 31/12/2012

D1/06 (M)
Born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo 26/10/2006
Sent to Monarto Zoo 14/09/2007
Still at Monarto Zoo 31/12/2012

Djembe (F)
Born at Taronga Zoo 15/09/2008
Sent to Taronga Zoo 12/05/2010
Sent to Taronga Western Plains Zoo 2016/2017
Still at Taronga Western Plains Zoo 15/03/2020

Possible other calves: 0.1 Shani (born 1998 approx); 1.0 Zawadi (born 2003)

Binti was born 21/08/2004 and was alive at Melbourne Zoo on 31/12/2012. Her dam was Shani, who was deceased by this date as she was not in the international studbook of living bongo. Shani’s studbook number (1205) places her DOB as approx late 1998, meaning she was not imported from San Diego Zoo in 1996; and was likely a calf of Nambala.

Shani’s other calf was named Barry (renamed Ekundu) and was born 23/11/2005 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. The sire of Binti and Ekundu was Marraquie (Studbook Number 934). Marraquie was also listed as the sire of Djembe; but not Ndugu.

Kulungu was born at Melbourne Zoo 26/11/2010 to Ndugu and Binti. He arrived at Taronga Western Plains Zoo 16/11/2011, where he remains to this date. His younger siblings were Issac, born 20/01/2012; and Madiba, born 2013 (died 2016).
 
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I believe Monatro zoo has Bongos on their master plan (unless its changed), There are also some Regional zoos wanting to obtain them. I would hope if Taronga wants to retain this species it would be part of a planned import when allowed!
 
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Zorro said:
I believe Monatro zoo has Bongos on their mater plan (unless its changed), There are also some Regional zoos wanting to obtain them. I would hope if Taronga wants to retain this species it would be part of a planned import when allowed!
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According to the Current Mammals in Australian Zoos thread, Monarto Zoo have one male bongo. A Facebook post from 2017 described the introduction of two males named Rambo and Issac. I’m guessing Rambo was the name given to the male born to Nambala in 2006 (at Monarto in 2012); and Issac would be the male born at Melbourne Zoo in 2012. One has apparently since died/moved if they now only have one.

I too hope some new zoos join the existing programme and we see some imports in the future. With the exception of Maisha (who is yet to breed), all bongos in Australia are closely related.
 
It would be so damn easy to import 10 (3.7) bongo unrelated to the current breeding female lacking ZAA set up.

So, for management and goodness sakes' change and bloody implement the import/export regulations!
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
It would be so damn easy to import 10 (3.7) bongo unrelated to the current breeding female lacking ZAA set up.

So, for management and goodness sakes' change and bloody implement the import/export regulations!
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Its still a waiting game that still on going
 
Zorro said:
I believe Monatro zoo has Bongos on their master plan (unless its changed), There are also some Regional zoos wanting to obtain them. I would hope if Taronga wants to retain this species it would be part of a planned import when allowed!
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Perth is also potentially in the market, but probably longer-term. There is a raft of changes, which includes going out of elephants, in their online plan.
 
tetrapod said:
Perth is also potentially in the market, but probably longer-term. There is a raft of changes, which includes going out of elephants, in their online plan.
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Good news if thats correct I would hope its not to far into the future!
 
Zoofan15 said:
Binti was born 21/08/2004 and was alive at Melbourne Zoo on 31/12/2012.
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I think Binti was the female that died at Melbourne Zoo in 2015:

Melbourne Zoo news 2016 [Melbourne Zoo]

Other changes after accidents include a ban on obtaining any more bongos — one of the rarest antelope species in the world — after a flighty female ran into a fence and fractured her spinal cord.

I'm not sure if the ban was just for Melbourne Zoo?
 
jay said:
I don't understand the line ' a ban on any more bongos'. why does there need to be a ban? Its not as if there is much possibility of getting one anyway. And just because one animal dies does that mean you cannot try again?
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Quite right Jay, Many overseas zoos keep and breed Bongos with little problems, some breed them like rabbits so to bar them (if correct) is a dumb move!
 
Tafin said:
I think Binti was the female that died at Melbourne Zoo in 2015:

Melbourne Zoo news 2016 [Melbourne Zoo]

Other changes after accidents include a ban on obtaining any more bongos — one of the rarest antelope species in the world — after a flighty female ran into a fence and fractured her spinal cord.

I'm not sure if the ban was just for Melbourne Zoo?
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Yes, that must have been Bintu; as Nambala and Shani were deceased by then; and the only other remaining female in the region was Djembe.

Most of the Bongo in the region are descendants of Njeri and Nambala, who were gifted to Taronga by San Diego Zoo in 1996 to celebrate the 80th birthdays of the two zoos.

It’s a shame no zoo since then has ever held a decent sized herd of bongo (which live in herds of up to 50 in the wild). Three facilities have held 1.2 adults, but only one female within each respective grouping has ever been reproductive. It’d be great if four or five females could be imported and a thriving herd established.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Yes, that must have been Bintu; as Nambala and Shani were deceased by then; and the only other remaining female in the region was Djembe.

Most of the Bongo in the region are descendants of Njeri and Nambala, who were gifted to Taronga by San Diego Zoo in 1996 to celebrate the 80th birthdays of the two zoos.

It’s a shame no zoo since then has ever held a decent sized herd of bongo (which live in herds of up to 50 in the wild). Three facilities have held 1.2 adults, but only one female within each respective grouping has ever been reproductive. It’d be great if four or five females could be imported and a thriving herd established.
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It would of been quite easy for some of our major zoos to import a good sized group back then perhaps some of the money ear marked for Hotels could of been better spent
 
Surprised Melbourne stopped keeping them. They have a very nicely landscaped yard between the baboons and giraffes/zebra that has sat empty ever since their animals died/left.
 
To my mind, bongo are one large antelope that works well for city zoos. They are suitable when kept in small numbers or in a larger group depending on available space. Plus the fact they are attractive and rare is a bonus.
 
Zorro said:
Good news if thats correct I would hope its not to far into the future!
Click to expand...
In their FAQs on the website, under Future Zoo:
WILL WE GET ANY NEW ANIMALS?
Yes. Our Zoo is a living site that continually changes. In November 2018, we will get two new African Lionesses from NSW who will be the beginning of a new lion pride for Perth. Once the girls have settled in, we will look to find them mates so we can participate in the breeding program for these majestic big cats.

Our curatorial team are also looking at what new species would best suit our site in the future. This could include Bongo, a stunning antelope species and nature’s armoured tanks, the endangered One-horned Rhino. This rhino species love to swim and could make a big splash in a future waterhole exhibit at the Zoo.

So I expect that solitary one-horned rhino would eventually replace the social whites due to a lack of space. It also looks like from the plan that with elephants gone, PZ would 'shake up' the natural boundaries between the African Savannah and the Asian Rainforest zones.
 
tetrapod said:
In their FAQs on the website, under Future Zoo:
WILL WE GET ANY NEW ANIMALS?
Yes. Our Zoo is a living site that continually changes. In November 2018, we will get two new African Lionesses from NSW who will be the beginning of a new lion pride for Perth. Once the girls have settled in, we will look to find them mates so we can participate in the breeding program for these majestic big cats.

Our curatorial team are also looking at what new species would best suit our site in the future. This could include Bongo, a stunning antelope species and nature’s armoured tanks, the endangered One-horned Rhino. This rhino species love to swim and could make a big splash in a future waterhole exhibit at the Zoo.

So I expect that solitary one-horned rhino would eventually replace the social whites due to a lack of space. It also looks like from the plan that with elephants gone, PZ would 'shake up' the natural boundaries between the African Savannah and the Asian Rainforest zones.
Click to expand...
Now that sounds real interesting,When the zoos elephants leave the zoo perhaps that area could be used for Indian rhinos?.
 
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