by Xinhua writer Yan Yujing
NAIROBI, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Against the backdrop of Nairobi's shimmering skyscrapers, a tower of giraffes stretches its necks skyward, as if competing with the glass-and-steel giants of the Kenyan capital.
Nearby, Thomson's gazelles graze unfazed by safari vehicles, while white rhinos tear lazily at acacia leaves, their prehistoric silhouettes framed against the bustling human settlements just beyond the park's borders.
This is the Nairobi National Park, one of the few capital-based reserves in the world. Established in 1946, the first wildlife sanctuary of Africa has maintained a fragile yet thriving equilibrium where untamed wilderness and urban sprawl converge.
Spanning 117 square kilometers of savannah, forests, and wetlands dotted with valleys and seasonal lakes, the park shelters over 100 mammal species and 400 bird varieties.
Lions, cheetahs and zebras roam freely, with their habitats guarded by a delicate balance of innovation and tradition.
Located just about 8 kilometers from the capital's bustling city center, the park exemplifies cutting-edge ecological stewardship.
"We've created a buffer zone with electrified fences on three sides, while leaving the southern boundary open for migratory routes to Amboseli and other parks," Millicent Kathambi, warden of the Nairobi National Park, said in an interview in the runup to the International Day for Biological Diversity, which falls on May 22.
This design prevents human-wildlife conflict while sustaining seasonal movements of wildebeests and zebras. Though elephants are absent due to resource constraints, anti-poaching patrols and habitat restoration have stabilized populations of critically endangered black and white rhinos.
In 2025, Kenya partnered with Chinese tech giant Huawei and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to launch Tech4Nature, integrating AI and infrared cameras to monitor lions and rhinos. Drones now supplement ranger patrols, while IUCN Green List standards guide management practices aligned with global sustainability goals.
"We conduct 24-hour armed patrols to protect both wildlife and visitors," said Idris Halake, a ranger stationed in the park's steel-clad outposts. "Wildlife numbers are rising thanks to these efforts."
Near the park's main gate, the Bomas Cultural Village showcases Maasai dances and ecotourism initiatives, channeling conservation benefits to local communities.
"When people profit from preservation, they become active guardians," Kathambi noted.
This ethos revived the Rothschild's giraffe -- once near extinction, now numbering over 500 -- through public engagement at Nairobi's Giraffe Center.
Kenya's "wildlife corridor" program further reserves migration paths amid urban expansion, ensuring coexistence.
A marvel of eco-conscious infrastructure, the 6.5-kilometer Nairobi-Malaba Railway Bridge arches over the park on pillars 41.5 meters tall, enough for giraffes to pass beneath. Sound-dampening barriers minimize train noise.
"This bridge symbolizes development in harmony with nature," said a Kenya Wildlife Service spokesperson.
On a windswept hill within the park, three mounds -- ashes of incinerated ivory and rhino horns -- stand as stark memorials. Since 1989, when former President Daniel Arap Moi torched 12 tonnes of ivory here, Kenya has destroyed over 105 tonnes of contraband tusks, cementing its anti-poaching resolve.
Nairobi National Park is more than an ecological gem. It's a living manifesto, Kathambi said.
As giraffes amble beneath railway bridges and rhinos graze against urban skylines, Kenya proves that biodiversity thrives despite urbanization, thanks to visionary planning.
In this precious sanctuary, every thunder of hooves and rustle of acacia leaves whispers a truth: to protect nature is to save our future. ■
