The Nairobi National Park / Nairobi Kenya national park is the first park to be gazetted in Kenya. It was gazetted on December 16th 1946. The park is located about 7km south of Nairobi in Kenya. Nairobi National Park is the only wildlife park in the world that is so close to the city. The park covers an area of 117 km2, on 45 square miles and lies about 5000-6000 feet (1500-1800 meters) above sea level.
NNP consists partly of thick woods near the city outskirts. The landscape consists partly of rolling plains and valleys. Nairobi Park vegetation is of the dry transitional savanna type. Acacias and other thorny varieties, muhuhu, Cape chestnut, and Kenya olive, are the most important trees that act as habitats for the wildlife in the park.
The city park is a major rhino sanctuary for breeding and restocking other parks. NNP is home to over 100 mammal species, having four of the Big Five (lion, Buffalo, leopard, rhino). Other animal species include the zebra, black rhinoceroses, giraffe, various species of antelope and numerous reptiles, among others.
Nairobi National Park has over 500 recorded bird species, at least 20 of which are seasonal European migrants. Some of the bird species in the park include the Secretary bird, Lesser kestrel, Martial eagle, Pallid harrier, Sooty falcon, White-bellied bustard, Grey crowned crane, Corncrake and many others.
NNP has the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, founded in 1963. The orphanage is located inside the park and serves as a treatment and rehabilitation centre for wild animals like lions, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, servals and others. Nairobi National Park is amazing, with other attractions like the Ivory Burning Site Monument, Walking trails at hippo pools, the Nairobi Safari Walk and the Orphanage.
The park has a picnic site, which makes Kenya safaris and Kenya Tours experience a number of tourists visit NNP due to various activities. Despite its proximity to the city and its relatively small size, it boasts a large and varied wildlife population. NNP is one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries.
