Déja vu all over again? This 4-some were all born recently at the Conservancy within weeks of one another. Here they are seen guarded by a "nanny," a female "teenager" bongo, while the mothers gain time to relax and feed further away. The young will be friends for life and care will be taken that in the course of their eventual release back to the wild they will not be separated.
This little charmer is awaiting your support and will gladly carry your name in gratitude....
Earmarked for later rehabilitation to the wild to join another group of these beautiful and exceedingly rare monkeys.
During the 2008 rainy season many new animals were born at the conservancy. But this little new Orphan recovered by our wildlife officer beats them all.
He's thriving under Peter Fundi's care and he's called "Chucky two" (of course!)
Chucky II is named in honor and with many thanks to our loyal supporter Chuck Simmons who once again has blessed the animals with a meaningful and generous donation!
And since we are on the subject of clowns: Here's another recent arrival:
"Miss Piggy," as she is fondly known, was found motherless by the Caldwells not far from their farm at the tender age of a few days. The farmer's wife took in the cute little bundle and only three months later confessed that her garden was no longer her own. Miss Piggy had taken over!
Her not-so professional gardening skills proved disasterous to some of the Caldwells rare and excellent tropical plants grown there, resulting in an eviction order from the household.
Now Ms. Piggy has met her match in "Speedy" the giant aldabra tortoise resident at the orphanage for many years. Its an odd couple, but the wise old tortoise delights in Ms Piggy's attentions and manages to sufficiently distract her from any further "gardening duties"!
The last bushpig raised at the Animal Orphanage lived to over 25 years old.
During that time several attemps at her rehabilitation to the forest were made, alas unsuccesssful. Each time she returned finding her way home after some days.
In the end, permanent retirement at the orphanage was granted and Casey finally died there peacefully of old age.
Use the form below to make a one-time donation in any amount to help support the important work of the Conservancy.
Many animals, including injured animals and those made orphans by poachers, are available for adoption. You can adopt one, either for yourself or in the name of someone you love, as a gift: Adoption Information
For more information, please visit our Donate Page.
Our dedicated staff of African animal keepers continue to delight our visitors with their real life anecdotes of the animals in their care. Whenever possible they will keep diaries listing special events in the lives of their varied charges, funny episodes and all noteworthy incidents. Here, Peter Fundi, Wildlife Officer, contributes excerpts form the keepers diaries.
Our animal keepers were astounded when overseas visitors told them how American celebrities had adopted African babies.
Why not adopt our animals in need, they wondered. "We will look after them for you until they can fend for themselves and then you will always have "your own special wild animal" out there, born free, as they should be!
as "Jack" with Suzanne Dugan as his godmother
and adopted in August 2006 by Annie Katz
"Jamie" and a female Bongo "Jessica" was
named after his sister
adopted by Kathleen Droste who named her "Kathy"
Learn how you can help to support the work of the Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy!
It was a nasty and frightening time when Hurricane Rita battered the city of Houston, Texas in October. Most residents had either left or bravely waited out the storm hunkered down in shelters or safe houses.
While Hurricane Rita battered Houston, half way around the world, one four-legged ex Houstonite gave birth to a beautiful baby bongo in the safety of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.
The mother was one of the group of "American" bongo antelope returned to Kenya earlier to form part of a nucleus breeding herd at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.
The welcome new arrival was immediately named "Tufani," which is Kiswahili for hurricane. Little Tufani is thriving and destined to the freedom of her ancestral home on Mount Kenya.
Our young bushbuck, born at the Orphanage to "Karen" an orphaned bushbuck we raised there, has made best friends with this little Llama, also born at the Orphanage.
To everyone's amusement the two romp and play all day, unaware of the difference in their species. Our little bushbuck is still waiting for your adoption and naming!!
What a novel Christmas gift for a loved one!!
For details of adoption of this or other Orphaned animals please Contact Us
Our Bongo herd had an increase by two this summer:
Baby No. 1, a healthy female was born to our 'American herd'. Our staff welcomed the new arrival and immediately referred to her as BARAKA, Kiswahili for "Blessing."
She is of course under close observation, but contact with humans is kept to a minimum. BARAKA continues to do well under the watchful eye of her mother, and will form part of the herd for eventual release on Mount Kenya.
The Conservancy's Kenya herd also very recently welcomed the arrival of another female calf yet to be named. Will she bear YOUR name? Please contact us for adoption details.
Good news also at the Hyrax boma:
This little fellow demonstrates why he should be called the "High Rex"!!
Babies no more: This is a recent Photograph of our young caracals that are nearly adult now: However, the mother Caracal is still very protective of her young and won't let go. Soon they will have to fend for themselves though...
A healthy new baby Bongo was born to the 'American' herd in August 2004. The Conservancy's Wildlife Manager Bunge led Stefanie Powers to the hide where she took this first portrait of the new addition. At Stefanie's suggestion the baby was named "Tumaini", Kiswahili for "Hope".
We are happy to report that the American herd has now settled in comfortably in their temporary large wooded bomas on the perimeter of Mount Kenya. We have established 2 herds of American Bongo. Both are magnificent groups, now well adjusted. Plans are to integrate them with the Conservancy's Kenya herd.
Our graceful bushbuck Karen surprised us with a delightful young female fawn in August. Karen was raised at the Orphanage after her mother fell pray to a marauding Leopard early 2003. (Her story ran on this page in 2003).
Now adult, she comes and goes from the Orphanage as she pleases. She made her own choice of mate from the wild Bushbuck herd at the Conservancy. Shortly after the birth however she brought her baby herselfto the safety of the Orphanage, where we keep a keen eye, however she is raising the baby without human help, making us all very proud. (Any potential Godmothers/fathers out there, please Contact Us for adoption details.
Click below for more information about The Bongo Repatriation to Mount Kenya Project
When we realized that our female Caracal Cat (African wild Lynx) was pregnant, we separated Daddy from the nervous mother as a precaution. She took her time, but then, mid June she finally gave birth to two healthy enchanting kittens. As a first mother she became very agitated and refused to let anyone near her.
We took the hint and screened her den at the orphanage from possible intrusion. The young ones are growing rapidly and they now need a larger home to romp around in, and space to grow.
For this we need your help. The two new kittens are waiting for their benefactors whose name they will bear. Any charitable cat lovers out there, please Contact Us.
Our "new additions" are all thriving.
We found two little crested cranes abandoned a few months ago and "gave" them to our resident flock. One female bird immediately took charge and raised the little ones.
They are now "Teenagers". They are trying to act adult, but often get into trouble as they gather experience in how to behave around the rest of the Orphanage residents.
Their looks too are quite ridiculous at this stage. "Step mom" takes a keen interest and frequently grooms them, doing the best she can with their unruly teen feathers.
Interestingly the Eland have a "nanny" system.
We frequently see all 6 youngsters led by one sub Adult female all day, while the Mothers are left in peace with the main herd.
The babies are led back to the herd and return to their mothers at feeding time.
They are all looking beautiful. And growing rapidly.
Our new little duiker seen here visiting a distant relative in order to learn some duiker manners!!
The Buffalo herd only produced one new little male calf this year. Oddly the little fellow spends all his time with "Dad" only returning to his mother to nurse. Even more unusual: she lets him do so. Strange things happen in the animal world, just like ours!
Recently some mongrel dogs invaded the Game Ranch, to hunt for food. They caused havoc amongst the game, especially the new mothers.
Muraya named her "Bahati"
which is Swahili for luck.
During the nightly melee, one little wildebeest became separated from the herd. Too young to fend for itself, it ended up in the compound of the Water supply adjacent to the Ranch.
We collected the little female and turned it over to our senior keeper Muraya. She is the best orphan we ever had. She immediately began feeding herself from a bowl of milk and eating grass as if she had done so all of her young life.
As for the birds... a pair of wild Egyptian geese decided to hatch their young in our suni sanctuary. It is green, safe, quiet and has a fresh water pond. What more could a young couple of wild geese want for their new Goslings.
That is until I came along with my camera. They seemed very docile, facilitating close-up shots - but not too close. Mrs. Goose suddenly sensed danger for her brood and with a lot of 'verbal abuse' from both of them, she took off to attack me.
She then hovered only two feet from my face, flapping her wings madly, screeching. The brave display had the desired effect. I withdrew to safe my camera and my face!!
The proud 'Dad' led the family to the safety of the pond.
Here is one of our proud Suni Mothers...
Before
And After
The first New Year's birth at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage in 2003 was a healthy female bongo. Our keepers had carefully superintended the mother's gestation period and confined her expertly to our calving bomas just in time for the new arrival. We all agreed to name her Mpya, Swahili for new.
The New Year for Kenya also brought in the popularly elected government of President Mwai Kibaki, and the spirit and hopes of the people are high. Little Mpya kind of symbolizes that. She's a delightful animal, having more or less instantly made friends with most of the Orphanage community.
Only the predatory cheetah family of "Mr. Duma Duke" has refused to be friends with the new arrival, due probably to their "dissident" ideas on nutrition!
Our resident Llama meanwhile have also not been idle. This Llama mum chose our information pavilion as the birthplace of her beautiful velvet-eyed baby. Soon she was joined by another snow white Llama baby and they have since become inseparable friends.
