A large, mostly nocturnal forest antelope of sub-Saharan Africa with a chestnut coat, 10–15 thin white stripes and heavy spiral horns on both sexes. The lowland bongo lives in the forests of West and Central Africa; the rare mountain bongo survives only in central Kenya.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
A large, mostly nocturnal forest antelope.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
Hunted for its hide, horns and meat, and a common local source of bushmeat.
At a glance
Found inAfrica
HabitatRainforest, Forest, Mountains
ColoursRed, White, Black
SizeLarge
Length2.15–3.15 m, including the tail
Height1.1–1.3 m at the shoulder
WeightMales 220–405 kg; females 150–235 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives inherds
Lives for12–20 years
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Forests of West and Central Africa, from Sierra Leone and Guinea to the Congo basin and South Sudan, plus a few mountains in central Kenya.
- What it eats
- Leaves, bushes, vines, bark, roots, cereals and fruit; it visits salt licks and even eats burnt wood for minerals.
- Conservation
- Near Threatened (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
The largest forest antelope, and it tips its head back so its horns do not snag.
The third-largest antelope in the world.
There may be as few as 140 mountain bongos left in the wild, fewer than in zoos.
Often confused with
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