Great Bongo Exhibits

jbnbsn99

jbnbsn99

Well-Known Member
I am in search of some great Bongo exhibits. I have looked through both the US and UK galleries for examples of great exhibits. I didn't really find any (I personally uploaded half of them for the US). This also means I haven't seen any either. So if you have any suggestions of photos for great Bongo exhibits let me know.
 
You bring up a really good point. Perhaps we should include okapis with bongos in this topic. Both are reclusive inhabitants of dense forests, yet from what I have seen they are always kept in open paddocks. (Maybe a few trees, but nothing resembling a dense forest). Here's a chance for some U.S. zoo to take the initiative and be truly innovative.
 
The only place I can think of that disqualifies all major zoos is the Mount Kenya Game Farm (LOL)! Try emulating that ... ;)
 
I liked the Bongo exhibit at Howletts.

From looking at some of the photos in the UK gallery some of the zoos have more Bongos than you can poke a stick at, in one photo I must of counted eight or more in one yard
 
Thanks guys. Still nothing out there that blows my socks off. Wish I had some photos of the old Bongo area at Dallas to put up here. It was a great naturalistic enclosure in the Wilds of Africa. It is now the Chimpanzee habitat. I have only been able to find about 3 or 4 photos of it. I'm surprised that neither of San Diego's (zoo or WAP) exhibits have photos on here.
 
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MARK said:
I liked the Bongo exhibit at Howletts.

From looking at some of the photos in the UK gallery some of the zoos have more Bongos than you can poke a stick at, in one photo I must of counted eight or more in one yard
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And to the point were some UK collections have stopped breeding them!

I agree jbnbsn99, there are no wow Bongo enclosures out there. Many functional and great for husbandry but nothing you could call amazing.
 
Bongos and Oryx - enormously common in zoos of all shapes and sizes.I find Bongos as loveable and friendly as Oryx are mean.If any zoo has a free space for a paddock and are considering either of these species please, please reconsider and give a chance to one of the countless species we almost never get to see in collections or to Species Survival Plan priorities.
 
Not at all great, but perhaps you might find the pictures interesting anyway, jbnbsn99?

Borås Zoo in Sweden rather recently opened a bongo exhibit. From what I have understood it consists of two adjoing enclosures. The size appears generous - in line with this zoo´s traditions (and Swedish legislation for zoo enclosures). The herd held in it consists of five females.

Personally I am disappointed by the lack of trees and bushes and this exhibit does of course not in any way resemble an African forest. The link below is to the zoo´s web page:

Bongoantilop

Click on the pictures to make them bigger.
 
Boras by no means looks bad. In fact it is one of the better ones I've seen so far. I have yet to find one that really looks like a great rain forest. So far the best I've seen are Kansas City and Caldwell. Atlanta doesn't look too bad either.

@European Fauna - This is a project I'm morking on for Bongos that are already in the collection. I have to ask though, what species would you prefer?
 
The SDWAP use to have a seperate bongo exhibit, but it was average at best, now I think they are in a field exhibit on the Journey into Africa tour.

The SDZoo does not currently exhibit bongo I believe, but they used to be in what is now the red river hog exhibit, definitely nothing spectacular.
 
Ituri said:
The SDWAP use to have a seperate bongo exhibit, but it was average at best, now I think they are in a field exhibit on the Journey into Africa tour.

The SDZoo does not currently exhibit bongo I believe, but they used to be in what is now the red river hog exhibit, definitely nothing spectacular.
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Years ago the LA zoo bongo exhibit was one of my favorites . It had a dense tree canopy and huge stands of timber bamboo, and much less objectionable concrete walls than most of the LA grottos. I don't know what's exhibited there now.
 
reduakari said:
Years ago the LA zoo bongo exhibit was one of my favorites . It had a dense tree canopy and huge stands of timber bamboo, and much less objectionable concrete walls than most of the LA grottos. I don't know what's exhibited there now.
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Where was that exhibit located? Now they are exhibited by the bridge that leads to the orangutan exhibit.
 
The Aspinall parks had the greatest bongo enclosures for me particulary the new bongo enclosure at Port lympne, plenty of foilage to hide and a wonderful woodland. It was a far more impressive enclosure then any ive seen on visits to zoos in the states even if it wasnt exactly zoo visitor friendly as the bongos were very hard to spot.
 
The Aspinall parks had the greatest bongo enclosures for me particulary the new bongo enclosure at Port lympne, plenty of foilage to hide and a wonderful woodland. It was a far more impressive enclosure then any ive seen on visits to zoos in the states even if it wasnt exactly zoo visitor friendly as the bongos were very hard to spot, but i think thats a very Aspinall thing , to make the exhibits primarily with the animals in mind and not turn it into a cheap thrill and "experience of the wild" for the masses.
 
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