Nairobi National Park was established in 1946, the park was Kenya’s first. It’s located 7 kilometres south of the centre of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. It has got an electric fence separating the park’s wildlife from Matropolis. Nairobi’s sky crappers can be seen from the park. The proximity of urban and natural environments has caused conflicts between the animals and local people and threatens migration routes. Despite its proximity to civilisation and relative small size for an African National park. This national park boasts a large and varied wildlife population. Migrating herbivores gather in the park during the dry season, and it’s one of Kenya’s most successful Rhinoceros sanctuaries. The park covers an area of 11721 sq km and is a small in comparison to most of Africa’s national parks. The park’s altitude ranges between 1,533 and 1760m. It has got a dry climate and is the only protected part of the Athi Kapiti ecosystem.

Flora and Fauna in the park

The park’s predominant environment is open grass plain with scattered Acacia bushes. The western uplands of the park have highland dry forest with stands of the Olea Africana, croton and many more. There is also a riverine forest along the permanent river in the south of the park. There are also areas of broken bush and deep rocky valleys and the gorges in the park. The species in the valleys are predominantly acacia and the Euphorbia Candelabrum.

Fauna

The park has got a large and diverse wildlife population. The species found in the park includes; cape buffaloes, baboons, eastern black Rhinos, zebras, Tanzanian cheetahs, coke’s hartebeest, hippos, leopards, East African lions, elands, impalas, masai, giraffes, vultures, ostriches, and the waterbucks. The herbivores here include; wildebeest and the zebras as well as bird species.