The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has dismissed claims circulating online that forest areas within Nairobi National Park are being destroyed, describing the reports as misleading as it moves to explain the ongoing relocation of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage.
In a statement, KWS said the concerns were sparked by social media posts from a group identifying itself as Friends of Nairobi National Park (FoNNaP), which alleged that construction activities were damaging upland forest within the park.
“Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) notes with concern statements circulating on social media from a group calling itself “Friends of Nairobi National Park (FoNNaP)” alleging that “the upland forest in Nairobi National Park is being destroyed,” noted KWS.
The agency maintained that the works underway are part of a planned upgrade of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, a facility that has been rescuing and rehabilitating injured and distressed wildlife for more than six decades since it was established in 1964.
KWS explained that the current orphanage has been stretched beyond its limits due to increased visitor numbers, rising cases of wildlife rescue, and changes in global animal welfare standards that now require more advanced facilities.
“However, due to increasing visitor numbers, growing demand for wildlife rescue, and evolving international standards on animal welfare, the current facility within Nairobi National Park no longer meets modern requirements,” stressed KWS.
According to the agency, plans to relocate and modernise the orphanage have been in development since 2013 and are grounded in the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, which requires KWS to maintain proper animal welfare standards.
KWS further stated that all legal and environmental procedures have been followed, including the submission of a full project report to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for approval.
The new facility, KWS said, will include larger and more suitable animal enclosures built in line with standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It will also feature a fully equipped veterinary unit, a modern wildlife hospital with surgical capability, quarantine sections, nursery spaces for rescued animals, and areas designed to support rewilding.
Visitors are also expected to benefit from the upgrade, with improved walkways, rest areas, sanitation facilities, and organised parking aimed at reducing congestion and enhancing safety within the park.
KWS noted that the chosen location near the Bomas International Convention Centre is strategic, as it is expected to improve access and link the orphanage to Nairobi’s wider tourism circuit, potentially attracting more visitors.
On employment, the project is projected to create over 500 direct jobs for young people, alongside additional opportunities for service providers, positioning it as both a conservation and economic initiative.
KWS also addressed concerns about the fate of the current orphanage site, saying it will be restored and returned to a natural state, strengthening the park’s ecosystem and helping protect green spaces within the city that are under pressure from development.