Meet Winston, a rare bongo born at the Denver Zoo

By Zoe Sottile, CNN

The Denver Zoo has welcomed a rare and adorable addition to its herd: a baby bongo.

The calf named Winston was born to proud parents Fern and Howard on March 5. He and mom have been “snug as a bongo bug in their cozy stall” ever since, the zoo said on Facebook.

Animal lovers got their first peek at Winston last week when the zoo shared a video of him on Twitter. It showed the big-eared youngster scampering around his enclosure.

Bongos are a rare species of antelope found in rainforests from Senegal to Kenya, according to the African Wildlife Foundation. The bongo population has declined 20% over the past three generations, largely due to hunting, either for meat or by tourists for sport, the foundation says.

The Denver Zoo is home to four adult eastern Bongos — which are even more rare than their western counterparts. They can only be found in a small, forested region of central Kenya. Eastern bongos are considered critically endangered: There are fewer than 200 left in the wild.

In their natural habitat, bongos give birth in “traditional calving grounds” where they hide their young until the calves grow old enough to accompany their mothers.

Winston appears tiny in the zoo’s video, but he won’t stay small for long. Bongos are actually one of the largest forest antelopes. Once he’s fully grown, Winston will likely stand between 3.5 to 4.5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh between 460 and 900 pounds.

Baby Winston isn’t on public display just yet. But fans can admire his distinctive red-orange fur, white stripes, and large ears online.

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