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Scientific Name: Trangelapus erycerus isaaci

Range & Habitat: Forest regions and high dense mountains from West Africa to Kenya and Uganda

Size: Males can weigh 500-900 pounds and stand about 50 inches at the shoulder

Life Span: Up to 19 years in captivity

Gestation: 9 1/2 months; 1 young

Wild Diet: Leaves and shoots of shrubs and creepers, rotten wood, bark, herbs and fruit

Zoo Diet: Alfalfa and grain

Habits: Both males and females have horns that may extend 30 inches. They are very thick and quite elegant. The bongo is one of the rarest of zoo animals. It is also the largest and heaviest forest antelope.

Very shy and secretive, they are rarely seen in the wild. Females live in groups of up to 50, but bulls live alone. Their main enemy is the leopard. They have excellent hearing and sight for protection. Thin, white stripes provide excellent camouflage in the bamboo forest where they live. As they age, their coats get darker. When they get scared, they run to the water.