Prof Erustus Kanga leads renewed push to save Kenya’s mountain bongo

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Prof Erustus Kanga has reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to protecting the country’s most threatened wildlife species, as the Government and conservation partners intensify efforts to secure the future of the critically endangered mountain bongo.

At the Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy in Nanyuki, Prof Kanga joined conservation stakeholders for the launch of the **second edition of the National Recovery and Action Plan for the Mountain Bongo (2026–2030)**, alongside the IUCN Species Survival Commission Steering Committee Meeting.

Found exclusively in Kenya, the mountain bongo remains one of the country's most endangered large mammals and an important symbol of Kenya’s unique biodiversity.

The new recovery plan sets an ambitious target of increasing the national population by 50 per cent by 2030 from the current population of more than 100, while laying the foundation for a self-sustaining wild population of 750 animals by 2075.

For Prof Kanga and KWS, achieving these targets will require sustained collaboration among government agencies, conservation organisations, scientists, development partners and, most importantly, communities living around Kenya’s mountain forests.

The KWS Director General has continued to emphasise the importance of partnerships in conservation, recognising that the protection of wildlife cannot be separated from the welfare and economic interests of communities living alongside critical habitats.

Under the recovery plan, forest restoration is expected to go hand in hand with opportunities for communities to benefit from conservation through green jobs, sustainable enterprises and local value creation.

This community-centred approach is critical to ensuring that conservation becomes a shared responsibility rather than an obligation carried by government agencies alone.

Prof Kanga's leadership at KWS comes at a time when Kenya is seeking to strengthen the connection between wildlife conservation, ecosystem protection and tourism development.

The country's wildlife is a major pillar of its tourism industry, while mountain forests and other ecosystems provide essential environmental services, including water catchment, climate regulation and habitat for numerous species.

Protecting the mountain bongo therefore represents much more than saving a single species. It is part of a broader effort to conserve Kenya’s ecosystems and protect the natural assets that support communities and the national economy.

The 2026–2030 action plan provides a structured framework for achieving measurable progress through habitat restoration, scientific monitoring, population management, community engagement and stronger partnerships.

The long-term ambition of establishing a self-sustaining wild population of 750 mountain bongos by 2075 will require consistency and commitment across generations.

The involvement of KWS and its conservation partners demonstrates the importance being attached to that long-term vision.

The initiative also comes during the ongoing UN Tourism Week, reinforcing the important relationship between conservation and sustainable tourism.

For Kenya, healthy ecosystems and thriving wildlife are fundamental to maintaining the country's appeal as a leading tourism destination. Conservation efforts such as the mountain bongo recovery programme therefore contribute simultaneously to biodiversity protection and the sustainability of tourism.

Under Prof Kanga's stewardship, KWS continues to play a central role in coordinating Kenya's wildlife conservation efforts and working with partners to protect endangered species and their habitats.

The mountain bongo recovery plan is a demonstration of what can be achieved when government, science, communities and international conservation partners work towards a common objective.

The challenge ahead is considerable, but so is the opportunity.

By targeting a 50 per cent increase in the mountain bongo population by 2030 and ultimately a self-sustaining wild population, Kenya is setting measurable goals for one of its most important conservation programmes.

Prof Kanga's leadership at KWS will be central to translating that ambition into sustained action on the ground.

The message from Nanyuki is therefore clear: Kenya will continue investing in the protection of its natural heritage while ensuring that communities are active partners and beneficiaries in conservation.

Saving the mountain bongo is not only about protecting a species; it is about protecting Kenya’s ecological heritage for generations to come.

Tunza Mali Yako.