A rare eastern Bongo antelope was born two weeks ago at the Denver Zoo, and both mother and baby are doing fine.
The male Bongo antelope, named Mkono (muh-ko’-no) — Swahili for “handful” — was born March 30. Zookeepers kept mother and son hidden from public view in order to let the calf grow used to its surroundings. The two are now in public view, with the calf frequently seen romping around the outdoor habitat with its 15-month-old sister, Maddie.
The mother antelope, Megan, has given birth to five calves. Mkono weighed 45 pounds at birth and is expected to grow to around 900 pounds.
Bongos have deep orange coats, vertical white strips and large, slightly spiraled horns that can grow to 3 feet long.
Bongos are classified into two groups, the more common western Bongo and the endangered eastern Bongo, which are now found only in parts of Kenya. Mkono is an eastern Bongo.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
