•Already, an SGR line is cutting through the Nairobi National Park in what conservationists said it will cause irreparable damage.
•The park is the oldest National Park in Kenya established in 1946 by the then colonial government.
Are there plans to fence off the Nairobi National Park and tarmac all roads inside it, effectively turning it into a naturalistic zoo?
On Friday, the Kenya Wildlife Service did not deny or confirm this report.
"We have a meeting between the ministry, the board and senior management of KWS to discuss this matter. We will provide you with the way forward immediately after," KWS board chairman john Waithaka told the Star through a text message.
Conservationists have already poked holes on the move. "I just heard that KWS is fencing Nairobi Park. If so, it’s just another kneejerk reaction, no consultation, and no engagement with experts or park neighbours or communities. The consequences will be another Nakuru debacle–inbreeding, population explosions and crashes," one of the conservationists said.
Under the plans, KWS is also said to be planning to tarmac all main roads. A source at the service said the plans are pegged on two documents. These are the National wildlife strategy and tourism blueprint 2030.
He said the two documents are aimed at transforming some 10 parks to major tourist destinations. This, the source said, will turn the Nairobi National Park into a premier park to serve as a "success" in conservation.
"The initial plan is to revamp some of the 10 parks as premier destinations. The major plan is to begin with Nairobi National Park with discussions being centered on how to transform it. However, I have not heard about the fencing bit," he said. The source said the Nairobi National Park is a seasonal migratory park.
"Wildlife move in and out. During dry period, the park is a major source of water. If it is fenced, this migration will be stopped," he said.
Efforts to reach Tourism CS Najib Balala were futile as he neither responded to our text nor received our calls.
Already, an SGR line is cutting through the Nairobi National Park in what conservationists said will cause irreparable damage.
The park is the oldest national park in Kenya, gazetted in 1946 by the colonial government.
In the 19th century, the present park was part of an expansive savannah plain in the southern part of the now present Nairobi city.
The area had so much wildlife spreading all the way to the airport. It is said that sometimes planes landing at the JKIA Airport could be delayed in order to drive wildlife from the runaway.It is now the only remaining park near a city center in the whole world.
The Nairobi National Park is only approximately seven kilometers south of the center of Nairobi metropolis. It covers an area of 117.21 square kilometres (28,963 acres) and is small in comparison to most of Kenya’s and Africa's national parks.
It is surrounded by an electric wire fence in some sections although the southern parts are not fenced to allow wildlife dispersal. The proximity of urban and natural environments has caused conflicts between the carnivores (especially lions) and local Maasai pastoralists in the neighborhood but the Maasai community has happily embraced the park despite the challenge.
The park is sensitive to any activities. On several occasions, Kenyans have been stunned to find lions in the city outskirts which had strayed from the park.
A few days ago, a lion suspected to have been after prey killed a man near Rongai. The parks migration routes in the south are threatened due to human settlements.