At 9.10pm on Sunday, a DHL flight from Florida, USA, touched down on Kenyan soil, its arrival eagerly awaited. As expected, the passengers disembarked.

But the passengers were far from typical travellers – they were the rare mountain bongos, making an extraordinary 7,900-mile journey to reclaim their homeland in the heart of Kenya.

The 17 bongos are part of a generation that was taken to the US in the 1960s, before Kenya gained independence. They had lived in the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation in Florida, USA.

Through cross-border collaborations, Rebecca Miano, the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife stated that wildlife experts sought to return the bongos to their former rangelands.

She explained that the return of the species was part of conservation efforts aimed at boosting their populations by enabling them to breed in their original habitats. “The return of these mountain bongos is not just a conservation success; it is a symbol of hope and renewal for Kenya’s biodiversity,” she said.

The bongos, 12 females and five males, will form a founding population at the Marania and Mucheene sanctuary in Meru County. The sanctuary will serve as a breeding and rewilding centre.

They will be nurtured, protected, and gradually reintroduced into their natural habitats. The species’ population has significantly dwindled due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease.

According to the current National Recovery and Action Plan for the mountain bongo, Kenya aims to grow the mountain bongo population to 750 individuals within the next 50 years.

KWS Director General Prof Erustus Kanga noted that the initiative reflects the country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation, community engagement, and partnerships.

The Meru County Bongo and Black Rhino Conservation Trust has completed the construction of a 25-acre sanctuary in preparation for the rare species that once roamed Meru in abundance.

The trust’s patron, Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, and Chairman John Kinoti have been at the forefront of planning the project to conserve these critically endangered species, the largest of the antelope species, known for its striking horns. “Finally tumefika (They have arrived). We will have a Meru County welcoming ceremony once the bongos settle. Thank you to all the partners,” said Governor Mwangaza, announcing their arrival.

The bongos, all virgins aged between three and seven were placed in specially made crates and flown into Nairobi aboard a jetliner before being transported to the sanctuary in Buuri Sub-County.

Mwangaza and Trust Chairman John Kinoti said that since the mountain bongo was on the brink of extinction, the trust had put in place adequate measures to ensure the animals arrived in Kenya safely and could thrive in the protected sanctuary.

A temporary holding area, fitted with paddocks, had been set up to allow the animals to acclimatise and settle after landing before being released into the wild.

Initially, the public will be unable to see or interact with the animals, with Kinoti emphasising that they are dealing with very sensitive creatures.

He explained that with fewer than 100 mountain bongos left in the entire country, the trust had taken stringent steps to ensure their survival and breeding. “There are many restrictions we have to follow, but the future looks promising,” he said.

The Lewa Conservancy and Rare Species Conservatory Foundation secured the necessary Mountain Bongo import permits and veterinary protocols through the Kenya Wildlife Service.

In the 1970s, Mount Kenya’s Meru forest teemed with hundreds of the bongos. However, hunting and habitat loss caused a sharp decline.