The lowland bongo ( Tragelaphus eurycerus ) inhabits lowland rainforests from western Africa and the Congo basin to southwestern Sudan. The lowland bongo’s habitat could be more accurately described as a forest-savanna mosaic, as it depends on openings where sunlight penetrates to the forest floor.
Bongos are the only forest antelope to form herds. These herds range anywhere from 5 or 6 bongos foraging for food together, all the way up to 50. More than one male was included in a number of the herds seen, indicating that bongos are fairly non-territorial. These animals are both diurnal and nocturnal. They stay within the bushes and shrubs of the forest during the day and only come out to the salt licks during the night. They tend to stay out of sight, and it is for this reason that the behavior of bongos has been difficult to study. Relatively little else is known about the activities of these reclusive creatures.
