 The Langata Giraffe Centre is situated on both the edge of the Nairobi National Park and the edge of the residential area known as Karen. It resides on the grounds of Giraffe Manor, formerly the private home of Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville, now an inn, where guests can expect during lunch to see a giraffe's head swooping in a window in the dining room, begging for food.
This is an educational centre and part of AFEW - African Fund for Endangered Wildlife. The Rothschild giraffes were first brought to this spot by the Leslie-Melvilles in 1972, when they learned there were only 130 of this sub-species left, located on a ranch in western Kenya which was about to be subdivided into smaller farms. They captured first one baby giraffe, then later, others, to breed and release into the wild.
The park has a small herd of Rothschild's Giraffe, which are an endangered specie, and at the visitors centre there is a building with a walkway at just below the full height of an adult Giraffe. There you can feed them with specially prepared pellets provided by the staff. A great fun for all, not just for kids! |
