There aren’t many places in the world where you can look a giraffe in its eye and then feed it. You’d think such a place doesn’t even exist. Except it does, in Nairobi, Kenya!
In 1979, Jock and Betty Leslie-Manville started a conservation project at their home in Narirobi’s Lang’ata suburb, to save the nearly extinct Rothschild Giraffe. This distinctive race of giraffe has a dark-brown patterned coat, white legs, and five or more horns. Hunted almost to extinction, when the project was started, there were only 120 Rothschild Giraffes left in the world.
Jock and Betty’s extraordinary project began with their first adopted giraffes, Daisy and Marlon. They raised them with a lot of care and love as a part of their family. In fact, they were among the first people ever to rear giraffes and initiate a program of breeding them in captivity. As funds and support grew, they were able to successfully repopulate the Rothschild Giraffe and reintroduce them to a number of Kenyan national parks. Before they knew it, their project had grown into the Giraffe Center. Thanks to their effort, today there are over 500 of these lovely lanky animals happily residing in various Kenyan national parks.
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In 1983, they opened the center to the public and it is now part of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Ltd. Visitors can now hang out with giraffes and learn more about them at the center. To get up close and personal with these gentle giants head up to the feeding platform. Don’t forget to carry some food pellets to feed them. If the giraffes like you, they might give you sloppy kiss with their big purple tongues. Later, you can take a stroll through the center’s serene nature trail and meet a variety of birds and small animals like dik dik, warthogs, and squirrels.
This is the closest you can get to these tall fellas and certainly one of best tourist spots in Africa.
Book flights on EMI without credit card on Mihuru and visit one of the best tourist spots in Kenya.
Tags: Kenya Nairobi Nature Wildlife
