Mara's Journey

Mara began preliminary testing at the Cape May County Zoo on August 31, 2003, then at 14 months old started her trip on September 29, 2003. She was transferred to White Oak Conservation Center in Florida for the required three-month quarantine period and preshipment testing for overseas travel along with other bongos involved in the project. On January 28, 2004, she was flown to Nairobi with the rest of the herd, arriving on January 29, 2004, at 8 pm, and they were then transported by truck to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Mara and the others were placed in a special enclosure separated from the 18 captive bongos that never left Africa, and after completion of the fence around the 100-acre preserve of natural bongo habitat, several months later the American and African bongos were mixed together. In March 2006, officials at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy informed supporters that Mara had given birth to her first calf, a female named Ajabu, meaning "Surprise" in Swahili. Mara's journey was made possible by support from the Cape May County Zoological Society, the Cape May County Freeholders, and the Cape May County Zoo Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, and the Cape May County Zoo AAZK Chapter sends a monetary donation every year to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy in Mara's name to show continued support for the project.

Cape May Court House, New Jersey · United States