Bongo Flashcards
Is the bongo nocturnal or diurnal?
Nocturnal.
Do both male and female bongos have horns?
Yes.
How many subspecies of bongo are there?
Two. (Lowland bongo and mountain bongo.)
What is the conservation status of the lowland bongo?
Near threatened.
What is the conservation status of the mountain bongo?
Critically endangered.
What are some threats to the bongo?
Poaching, agriculture development, and logging.
How many mountain bongos are left in the wild?
Less than 100.
What are the closest cousins of the bongo?
Bushbucks and kudus.
True or false, there are two other subspecies of bongo that are pending classification.
True.
Is the mountain or lowland bongo larger?
Mountain bongo.
How long can bongos live?
Up to 20 years.
What does the scientific name of the bongo mean?
Broad horned-antelope
What is the range and habitat of the bongo?
Western and central Africa in tropical forest.
What do the white stripes on the bongo help with?
Camouflage.
How heavy are male and female bongos?
Female: 500 pounds
Male: 900 pounds
How tall is a bongo?
4 feet
How long is a bongo?
9 feet
Where do all captive bongos come from?
Central Kenya
Why do bongos sometimes look like they bleed in the rain?
The red pigment in their fur comes off extremely easily.
What is the difference between the male and female bongo?
Males are larger, have larger horns, and have darker coats.
True or false? Each side of a bongo has an identical amount of stripes.
False.
Why do bongos have such large ears?
They rely on hearing to detect any approaching predators.
True or false? Bongos rely heavily on smell to identify each other.
False. They rely more on sight.
What is the difference between horns and antlers?
Antlers are shed every year and are pure bone extending from the animal’s skull. Horns are also an extension of the skull, but can also be hollow. Horns are always covered in keratin. Horns are never completely shed. Only the male pronghorn shed the sheath of its horns.
How does a bongo keep its horns from being tangled in the brush of the forest?
The horns are naturally swept back and the bongo holds them even further back when running.
Are bongos generally solitary animals?
Yes. Although females will sometimes gather in small groups.
How long is the gestation period of the bongo?
9 months.
How many calves does the bongo have?
One.
how old are bongos when they are mature?
Two.
In what decade was the bongo first observed to the western world?
1960s
True or false? Male bongos engage in unusually brutal horn locks.
False. Bongos usually only lock horns for sparring and play.
How do male bongos discourage other males from entering their territory?
They bulge their necks, roll their eyes, and pace in front of the other male.
Are bongos easily frightened?
Yes.
Why do bongos turn their rear toward whatever is disturbing them rather than their side?
Their rear is less conspicuous.
How does the bongo communicate vocally?
It bleats, grunts, moos, and snorts.
How long does it take young bongos to grow horns?
Three months.
Will the bongo give birth in any location?
No. They restrict themselves to particular places and will leave the calves there for up to a week.
What do bongos eat?
Leaves, vines, bark, grasses, and fruit.
What are two similarities between the bongo and the okapi?
They both have long, prehensile tongues. they both eat charcoal to get salt.
How many bongos are left in the wild?
28,000
What disease almost eradicated the bongo in the 1890s?
A global outbreak of rinderpest.
When was the last case of rinderpest recorded?
2001 (A global eradication campaign helped to eliminate it)
What are some predators of the bongo?
Leopards, hyenas, and pythons.
Why were humans scared to hunt bongos for a very long time?
Native people believed that touching or eating bongo meat would cause epileptic seizures.
How are people protecting the bongo?
They are building bongo sanctuaries and many captive breeding programs are underway.
What is a nickname for the bongo?
Ghost of the forest.
What is the largest forest antelope?
The bongo.
Why do some male bongos have bald spots on their back?
They hold their head back very often and the horns rub off the fur.
