NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK                                                                                       “The World’s Wildlife Capital”.  The park covers an area of 117.21 square kilometres and is small in comparison to most of Africa’s national parks. The park’s altitude ranges between 1,533 and 1,760 metres It has a dry climate. The park is located about 7 kilometres from the Nairobi’s city centre. There is electric fencing around the park’s northern, eastern, and western boundaries. Its southern boundary is formed by the Mbagathi River, This boundary is not fenced and is open to the Kitengela Conservation Area and the Athi-Kapiti plains. There is considerable movement of large ungulate species across this boundary.

A short drive out of Nairobi’s central business district is the Nairobi National Park. Wide open grass plains and backdrop of the city scrapers, scattered acacia bush play host to a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded. Visitors can enjoy the park’s picnic sites, three campsites and the walking trails for hikers.

This park is the only natural safari park that has a city scape background that can be seen from almost any part of the park. Nairobi National Park boasts a large and varied wildlife population. Migrating herbivores gather in the park during the dry season and it is one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries. The proximity of urban and natural environments has caused conflicts between the animals and local people and threatens animals’ migration routes

Officially opened in 1946, Nairobi National Park was the first national park established in Kenya. Maasai Pastoralists were removed from their lands when the park was created. Cowie was named as director of Nairobi National Park and held this position until 1966. In 1989, Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi burned twelve tons of ivory on a site within the park. This event improved Kenya’s conservation and wildlife protection image.