The bongo is a large forest-dwelling antelope native to the dense tropical forests of Central and West Africa, with an isolated population in Kenya, recognized by its rich chestnut coat marked with bold white vertical stripes and its long, spiraled horns, present in both sexes. It is among the largest of the forest antelopes, and its striped coat provides effective camouflage in the dappled shade of dense forest vegetation, where it browses on leaves, shoots, bark and fallen fruit. Bongos are generally shy and elusive, most active at dawn, dusk and night, and the isolated eastern population, known as the mountain bongo, has declined severely due to habitat loss, disease and predation, leading to its classification as critically endangered even as the more widespread lowland bongo population remains comparatively more secure.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to People Living or ExtinctDerived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status. Scientific Name Conservation Status Body Size Band Activity Pattern Activity Pattern Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceBongos are characterised by a striking reddish-brown coat, black-and-white markings, white-yellow stripes, and long, slightly spiraled horns. 1 Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
Source Bongo (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Bongo (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead sentence, scientific name in parentheses
The bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) is a large, mostly nocturnal, forest-dwelling antelope, native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description section, physical appearance sentences
Bongos are characterised by a striking reddish-brown coat, black-and-white markings, white-yellow stripes, and long, slightly spiraled horns.
Taxonomy section
The western or 'lowland bongo, T. e. eurycerus, faces an ongoing population decline, and the IUCN Antelope Specialist Group considers it to be near threatened on the conservation status scale.
Article text
CITES lists bongos as an Appendix III species, only regulating their exportation from a single country, Ghana.
- In Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Wikipedia 'Bongo (antelope)': forest-dwelling antelope found in African dense forest mosaics
View the Source 2. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
3. Bongo (antelope) (Wikipedia)
- possibly only 100 mountain bongos left in the wild due to logging and poaching
- forest-dwelling antelope, native to sub-Saharan Africa
Child Taxon Of: Bovidae, Taxonomy
The scientific name of the bongo is Tragelaphus eurycerus, and it belongs to the family Bovidae.
View the Source4. GBIF Species API
5. Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014): EltonTraits 1.0 mammal diet data
Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014)Row: tragelaphus eurycerus
5164 Tragelaphus eurycerus Bovidae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 Ref_1 ABC G A 0 1 1 Ref_1 ABC 329003.11 Ref_117 1
MamFuncDat.txt row Tragelaphus eurycerus, Activity columns
Tragelaphus eurycerus Bovidae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 Ref_1 ABC G A 0 1 1
View the Source 6. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of Liverpool: AnAge entry for Tragelaphus eurycerus
Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of LiverpoolLifespan, ageing, and relevant traitsQuote, Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits
Maximum longevity 22 years (captivity)
Wikidata: Bongo
Wikidata Q193400, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: ArtiodactylaView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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