Nairobi National Park

🇰🇪 Kenya

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🌍 #21 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #16 in Africa #16 in Savanna & Grassland

East Africa, Kenya 1266 spp. recorded

Nairobi National Park sits on the southern fringe of Kenya’s capital, a tropical savanna framed by acacia woodlands and the Mbagathi River. The open grasslands host herds of impala and hartebeest that graze at dawn, while Nile crocodiles sun themselves on the river’s sandbanks.

-1.358° S 36.843° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

60–70% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

40–50% · Likely

East African Giraffe

Giraffa tippelskirchi

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

80–90% · Very likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

80–90% · Very likely

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

70–80% · Very likely

Common Ostrich

Struthio camelus

70–80% · Very likely

Hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus

70–80% · Very likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

70–80% · Very likely

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

70–80% · Very likely

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

70–80% · Very likely

Long-tailed Fiscal

Lanius cabanisi

70–80% · Very likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

70–80% · Very likely

White-backed Vulture

Gyps africanus

70–80% · Very likely

Black Kite

Milvus migrans

70–80% · Very likely

⭐ Iconic Species

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

60–70% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

40–50% · Likely

East African Giraffe

Giraffa tippelskirchi

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

80–90% · Very likely

Hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus

70–80% · Very likely

Vervet Monkey

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

60–70% · Likely

Olive Baboon

Papio anubis

60–70% · Likely

Common Eland

Taurotragus oryx

60–70% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

60–70% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

40–50% · Likely

Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax

Heterohyrax brucei

40–50% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

40–50% · Likely

Grant's Gazelle

Nanger granti

40–50% · Likely

Blue Monkey

Cercopithecus mitis

40–50% · Likely

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

80–90% · Very likely

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

70–80% · Very likely

Common Ostrich

Struthio camelus

70–80% · Very likely

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

70–80% · Very likely

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

70–80% · Very likely

Long-tailed Fiscal

Lanius cabanisi

70–80% · Very likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

70–80% · Very likely

White-backed Vulture

Gyps africanus

70–80% · Very likely

Black Kite

Milvus migrans

70–80% · Very likely

Superb Starling

Lamprotornis superbus

70–80% · Very likely

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

70–80% · Very likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

70–80% · Very likely

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

40–50% · Likely

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

40–50% · Likely

Kenyan Rock Agama

Agama lionotus

30–40% · Possible

Jackson's Forest Lizard

Adolfus kibonotensis

30–40% · Possible

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

20–30% · Possible

Serrated Hinged Terrapin

Pelusios sinuatus

20–30% · With luck

African Striped Skink

Trachylepis striata

10–20% · With luck

Side-striped Chameleon

Trioceros bitaeniatus

10–20% · With luck

Black-necked Spitting Cobra

Naja nigricollis

10–20% · With luck

Gregory's Blue-headed Agama

Acanthocercus gregorii

Insufficient data

Puff Adder

Bitis arietans

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Common Reed Frog

Hyperolius viridiflavus

10–20% · With luck

African Clawed Frog

Xenopus laevis

Insufficient data

African Common Toad

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data

Marsabit Clawed Frog

Xenopus borealis

Insufficient data

Senegal Kassina

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data

Natal Puddle Frog

Phrynobatrachus natalensis

Insufficient data

Bocage's Tree Frog

Leptopelis bocagii

Insufficient data

Nile Ridged Frog

Ptychadena nilotica

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

White Rhinoceros Breeding Season

Jul

During this period, White Rhinoceros exhibits heightened territorial and courtship behaviors across the open plains.

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

60–70% · Likely

🦌

Black Rhinoceros Calving and Courtship

Aug

The bush and thicket areas see increased activity as Black Rhinoceros engage in mating rituals.

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

30–40% · Possible

🦌

Lion Territorial Mating

FebMar

Prides become highly vocal and active as Lions patrol and defend their territories during the early year dry season.

Lion

Panthera leo

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

White Rhinoceros

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

30–40

70–80

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

60–70

20–30

East African Giraffe

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

50–60

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

African Sacred Ibis

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

60–70

80–90

80–90

60–70

70–80

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

Blacksmith Lapwing

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

Long-tailed Fiscal

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

Helmeted Guineafowl

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

White-backed Vulture

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

Animal Events

🦌 White Rhinoceros Breeding Season

🦌 Black Rhinoceros Calving and Courtship

🦌 Lion Territorial Mating

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

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🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

838

🐒 Mammals

253

🦎 Reptiles

129

🐸 Amphibians

46

1266 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

48 Threatened 5 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

77%

📊

Coverage (317 species at ≥5% of 1266 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

25%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (9 bird, 2 mammal, 1 reptile)

46% Global avg

54%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

229

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

37

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

83

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Nairobi National Park?

The most likely sightings are Impala (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Egyptian Goose (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), African Sacred Ibis (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Common Ostrich (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Hartebeest (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 1266 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Nairobi National Park for wildlife?

August has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see White Rhinoceros in Nairobi National Park?

Yes — about 61% of wildlife watchers report a White Rhinoceros sighting in Nairobi National Park, based on 73 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Lion in Nairobi National Park?

Yes — about 48% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Nairobi National Park, based on 44 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see East African Giraffe in Nairobi National Park?

Yes — about 48% of wildlife watchers report a East African Giraffe sighting in Nairobi National Park, based on 44 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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