NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK
Area: 117 km2
Location: 9km south of Nairobi, approximately 30 min. from city centre.
Nairobi National Park was originally part of the Great Southern Game Reserve created in 1900 but became a training ground for the King's African Rifles during WWI. Unfortunately this resulted in serious destruction of both habitat and wildlife and it was not until 1946 that the area was declared a National Park - the first in East Africa. Today over 100 species of mammals and 400 species of bird have been recorded in the park. It is a source of amazement that such a variety of wildlife can be viewed within sight of the skyscrapers and international airport of Nairobi and four of the Big Five can be seen here - leopard, lion, buffalo and rhino, but no elephant.
Wildlife rhythms: Wildebeests disperse November to May, returning July to October and also in March. Fields of wild-flowers appear after rains. Male Jackson's widowbirds display March to May.
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Wildlife highlights: Plains mammals such as black and white rhinos, Masai giraffes, plains zebras, buffaloes, kongonis (also known as Coke's hartebeests) and wildebeests (in season). A good chance of lions and cheetahs, and leopards and spotted hyenas also resident; also olive baboons, vervet and blue monkeys, hippos and Nile crocodiles. Grassland birds are a specialty among 550 recorded bird species.
What to do: Animal Orphanage just inside the main entrance, visit Nairobi Safari Walk.
Watching tips: White rhinos often graze near the main entrance. African finfoots live along the Mbagathi River.
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