VISIT TO THE NAIROBI SAFARI WALK
Blog by Nania Kimani | Environmental Research Intern
January 2025
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The Wildlife Research and Conservation Project is AEYA’s fourth flagship program, designed to equip young environmental leaders with the tools to research, document, and advocate for wildlife protection. Through this program, we encourage interdisciplinary thinking, community-informed conservation, and intergenerational solutions that respond to both ecological and social realities.
The Nairobi National Park is the only national park in the world located within a capital city and hosts over 100 species of mammals, including four of the “Big Five”: lions, leopards, buffalo, and rhinos.
When I first arrived at the park, I was ecstatic. I could already tell that the experience would be amazing. Our team decided to be there bright and early to ensure that we maximise the day. This visit was carried out to understand what urban wildlife conservation is. Once we reached the front desk, we were met with a modernized payment method through E- citizen where a quick and efficient prompt is sent to the person making the payment. This caught all of our attention as we realized that technology adaptation is steadily taking over Kenya, from M-Pesa payments to QR-code menus, technology really is the new way of life.
We observed important conservation practices, such as the area being a plastic-free zone and restrictions on feeding animals on the premises, specifically primates, which tend to be extremely active and often chaotic. This information was extremely helpful as it would allow all the young children who visit the safari walk to understand the detrimental impact of plastic pollution and how feeding the animals could impact their daily lives.
Additionally, the security and ranger availability from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) could not have gone unnoticed as they stood majestically in their uniforms, which featured the operational camouflage pattern, easily noticeable against the surrounding environment. The biodiverse ecosystem was filled with various plants and greenery; there was a pond with lily pads, and other different ecosystems supported the animals in their respective habitats.
In this image, Grace Kiarie (Wildlife ecologist, project lead, and our tour guide of the day) is pointing at a colobus monkey resting on the log.
This human-made habitat mimics the high forest woodscape that the monkeys originally originated from and allows them to continue living their life high above the ground as they are used to.
In this photo, an ostrich is in the distance, in an open landscape similar to savanna grassland and semi-arid scrubland. Both of these images show how the animals' living areas have been recreated to match their natural habitats.
Such a factor is highly beneficial, as it promotes natural behaviour, thereby preventing boredom and the development of abnormal, repetitive behaviours. Additionally, it allows the animal to have reduced stress levels, as a similar and stimulating habitat prevents the development of strong feelings of captivity. This shows us the delicacy of our wildlife and how animals, just like us humans, are social beings that also need familiarity, community, and a comfortable habitat to grow up in.
A few facts that stood out to me during this safari walk.
1. Ostriches, like humans, often cooperate and use their skills to co-parent. How? You may be wondering. Well, male ostriches' brown feathers allow them to sit on the eggs during the day, while at night, due to the mother's black feathers, they now exchange positions and sit on their eggs to protect their children. This serves as a camouflage tactic that protects against predation and attacks. These were both facts our highly educated tour guide, Grace, taught us.
2. Male lions sleep for about 24 hours, while lionesses go out to hunt and provide food for the pride. This knowledge surprised me, and I was not aware of all the work the lionesses do! Lionesses are faster and more agile than lions, which matters for chasing prey. They are also better at coordinated group hunting, especially at night #girlpower!
As we continued walking, we were graced with all kinds of animal sections from Pygmy hippopotamus’ to zebras, white rhinos and even giraffes.
There was a specific sign that stood out to us, educating us on the differences between cheetahs and leopards. This was beneficial because I finally understood that, even though they look similar, there are many differences between these two cat species.
I was intrigued by another sign I read about wildlife conservation and its importance. I felt touched, and as an environmental conservationist myself, I appreciated the work the Kenya Wildlife Service team had done to encourage proper care and respect for animals and the environment. The sign had a unique heading titled ‘Get to know Kenya and fall in love’. The paragraph was deeply inspirational as it wrote “in the end we conserve what we love, we love what we understand, and we understand what we are taught”.
There were many other billboards and signs, all around the safari walk, highlighting so much on wildlife conservation. This was a great educational experience as it was written in both English and Swahili, our national language. Those who take the time to read them gain insight into the animals' history and how to ensure a sustainable future for these wild species.
In total, we encountered 10 species at the Nairobi Safari Walk, including Giraffes, Lions, Colobus Monkeys, Leopards, Cheetahs, Zebras, Buffaloes, Rhinoceros, Antelopes, and Baboons.
From the list, one can clearly see that my favourite wild animals are giraffes. Everything ranging from their antiseptic saliva to their long limbs fascinates me and I was beyond excited to see one again, especially since we were lucky to see a baby giraffe.
I have always found them fascinating from a young age. I vividly remember how graceful and unashamed of their height and physical appearance the species are, which I then noticed how similarly other animals are also comfortable in their own skin. This intrigued me as a giraffe doesn’t try and be a lion, nor does a hippopotamus change to look like a rhino. But each to their own creation. Food for thought right?
At the end of our serene and long walk and I felt a sense of awareness dawn on me as I realized that places like this are the small building blocks of conservation in the unreliable world we live in today, because in a few years to come some of these animals and outdoor experiences may be unknown to our great-grandchildren.
The Nairobi safari walk is a marvelous creation and gift to the Kenyan community, as it is an affordable opportunity to learn about our diverse ecosystem, which is the backbone of Kenya’s heritage. The park encourages, reminds, and educates all who visit about the importance of conserving endangered species, the purpose of sustainable living, and the preservation of our wildlife.
Overall my experience allowed me to have a deeper appreciation for the work all those all over the world who are committed to this sector carry out, differing from our rangers who often have sleepless nights ensuring the safety of these animals and the researchers who work with them closely to ensure the animals remain healthy and comfortable in their diverse environments to the tour guides who allow for individual education and better understanding of the complex and diverse wild animals and their ecosystems and additionally, the organisations that offer grants to the national park to help maintain the safari walk like Friends of Nairobi National Park (FoNNaP) and the Africa Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW).
If one were to visit, I would agree with those who say that the Nairobi safari walk is a miniature replica of what visitors expect to see in the vast landscape beyond Nairobi and for one who is looking for a unique yet simple out door experience, similar to those experiences of the Back Country Squatters, on behalf of the African Environmental Youth Advisory team, I would recommend for you to go and visit the lovely trail walk for yourself, if you haven’t already and you are visiting Nairobi and if you have then one should go again!
About the Author
Nania Kimani is the Environmental Research Intern at the African Environmental Youth Advisory (AEYA). Her work is guided by an interdisciplinary lens that brings together wildlife conservation, sustainable fashion, marine ecosystem protection and more. Through her research, Nania is interested in exploring how environmental systems, culture, and innovation intersect to create more sustainable and transformative solutions. She is passionate about using research and storytelling to amplify environmental knowledge and action across the continent.
You may review her video projects on our Instagram.
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