Nairobi National Park

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Nairobi National Park is 117 km² but is only a few km from the centre of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya.

The park is unique in being a protected game reserve within the boundaries of a major city. Lions, cheetahs and rhinos can be seen in the park. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded in the park.

1 Habitat
2 Wildlife
3 Major Attractions
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Habitat

The vegetation is primarily dry savanna, open grass plains with scattered acacia bushes. The park also has a permanent river with a riverine forest.

The western upland areas has an upland dry forest with stands of Olea africana and Croton dichogamus/Brachylaena hutchinsii and calodendrum. The lower slopes are a grassland composed of such species as: Themeda, Cyprus, Digitaria, and Cynodon with scattered yellow-barked acacia, Acacia xanthophloea. In addition there are stretches of broken bush country and deep rocky valleys and gorges with scrub and long grass.

The park also serves many residents and citizens living in the city. The park has a diversity of environments with characteristic fauna and flora. Open grass plains with scattered acacia bush are predominant. Man-made dams have also added a further habitat, favourable to certain species of birds and other aquatic life forms. The dams also attract water dependent herbivores during the dry season.

[edit] Wildlife

The park has a rich/diverse birdlife with 400 species recorded. However all species are not always present and some are seasonal. Northern migrants pass through the park primarily during late March through April.

Nairobi National Park is one of the most successful of Kenya's rhino sanctuaries that is already generating a stock for reintroduction in the species former range and other upcoming sanctuaries. Due to this success, it is one of the few parks where a visitor can be certain of seeing a black rhino in its natural habitat.

To the south of the park is the Athi-Kapiti Plains and Kitengela migration and dispersal area. These are vital areas for herbivores dispersal during the rains and concentrate in the park in the dry season.