KPC Foundation Partners with Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy to Save the Mountain Bongo
KPC Foundation Manager, Rachael Gathoni, praised the resilience of the hikers and emphasized the importance of partnerships in conservation.
Hikers pose for a photo during the flag-off of the 4th annual Trek for the Bongo hike at Mt. Kenya National Park, Naro Moru Gate aiming to raise awareness and funds to conserve the Mountain Bongo, a critically endangered species. Photo/ Courtesy
By Juliet Jerotich
Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), in collaboration with the KPC Foundation, has flagged off the 4th annual Trek for the Bongo hike, a conservation hike to Mt. Kenya’s Lenana Peak to raise awareness and funds to protect the Mountain Bongo, one of Kenya’s most endangered species.
The four-day trek, which was launched on September 16 at the Naro Moru Gate, brings together 14 trekkers who will embark on the high-altitude challenge under the theme “Save the Mountain Bongo.” Their mission is not only to ascend Africa’s second-highest mountain but also to contribute towards raising awareness of the Mountain Bongo’s plight as well as funds for its rewilding program.
The Mountain Bongo, a forest antelope that is only located in the Mt. Kenya ecosystem is on the brink of extinction with less than 100 individuals remaining in the wild. Beyond its ecological role, the species is a symbol of Kenya’s cultural heritage and biodiversity.
Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy Head, Dr. Robert Aruho, spoke about the need for conservation. “The reduction in the number of Bongos has largely been due to disease and poaching. We have been struggling to increase their numbers since 2004. Through activities like this hike, we want to raise awareness and mobilize support to conserve this critically endangered species,” he said.
KPC Foundation Manager, Rachael Gathoni, praised the resilience of the hikers and emphasized the importance of partnerships in conservation. “This is a call to action that cannot wait. In our partnership with MKWC, the KPC Foundation will be investing in rebreeding and rewilding programs, habitat restoration, and community engagement. We welcome other partners from the private and public sectors to walk this journey with us,” she said.
The Foundation has already invested KES 5 million in the project and is raising KES 100 million to fund other services like veterinary services and the use of technology in conservation.
The trek is part of MKWC’s broader conservation education, habitat restoration, and wildlife care mandate. In 2022, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), MKWC opened the world’s first Mountain Bongo Sanctuary. The 776-acre Mawingu Mountain Bongo Sanctuary on the slopes of Mt. Kenya is at the center of Kenya’s long-term plan to rebreed and rewild up to 750 Mountain Bongos by 2050.
By connecting adventure and advocacy, the Trek for the Bongo is more than a hike—it is a challenge to save one of Kenya’s most invasive species and leave our children a better natural heritage.
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