Nairobi National Park expanded by 49,000 acres into Machakos County

The Nairobi National Park was on Friday expanded to almost three times its original size, Tourism CS Najib Balala announced.

In a statement from the Ministry, CS Balala outlined that 32,000 acres that originally belonged to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) had officially been transferred to Nairobi National Park.

The Swara Plains Conservancy whose expanse goes into Machakos County gave up an additional 15,000 acres.

The government further donated 2,000 acres of the Sheep and Goat Ranch which lies between the park and the donated lands to act as a linking corridor for the newly expanded park.

Tourism CS Najib Balala receives the Certificate of Registration from ILRI Director General Jimmy Smith after ILRI donated 32,000 acres of land to Nairobi National Park Pulse Live Kenya

CS Balala explained that the additional land will be dedicated to wildlife conservation as he officially inaugurated the task force on wildlife corridor connectivity between Nairobi National Park and the Athi-Kapiti plains.

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"I wish to take this opportunity to thank the two conservancies on behalf of the government and the people of Kenya for this wonderful gift that will ensure our unique biodiversity thrives for posterity. This will be an essential wildlife corridor, for the animal population in the Nairobi National Park," he stated.