02/04/2026
Dear FoNNaP Members,
Yesterday, the FoNNaP Board attended a meeting with senior members of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Nairobi National Park (the Park) management to discuss the proposed relocation of the Animal Orphanage. FoNNaP approached the meeting with the sincere intention of listening carefully to KWS’s presentation and asking pertinent questions.
During the meeting, the KWS Director General presented plans to relocate the Orphanage, a proposal said to be first conceived in 2023 due to the current site’s limited size where the orphanage sits and substandard animal enclosures. The proposed new facility would occupy approximately 89 acres on open grassland and include modern infrastructure and improved access, while the existing site would be restored back into the park. The new site was selected after careful study of potential alternative sites, including expanding the current location or using the KWS land on the Southern Bypass.
KWS shared its perspective on the project and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration, while noting that its office remains open to further engagement and information-sharing as appropriate. While the presentation was comprehensive and shed light on the project, several critical questions remain and there are some gaps in information and seeming inconsistencies regarding the project and process to date.
The Board will now seek a second meeting with KWS to better clarify its queries. FoNNaP intends to continue to engage with KWS to assess the merits and demerits of this matter, as well as other potential developments and issues facing the Park, and act accordingly in the best interests of the Park and its members.
