The Nairobi Snakes ?- Article by Gareth Jones
? NAIROBI PARK SNAKES! - BY GARETH JONES It was getting late after a hot day, I watched the sun was setting fast. I drove along just looking straight ahead, as it was difficult to see as the sun was in
The Rare Skimmer!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Rare African Skimmer We arrived at the Hyena dam early on a lazy Sunday afternoon and parked our vehicle as we often do when watching birds. Suddenly a movement on the edge of the dam caught my eye, WOW!! A
From Cub To King!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Cubs To Kings Lion cubs are indeed very cute creatures and sightings are immensely enjoyable by those who see them in the wild. However, while there are playful and joyful moments, being part of the cub in any part of wild
The Super Scoopers!!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Super Scoopers Of The Nairobi National Park Over many years, I have noted that most of us are still in “City mode” when we enter a national park, and would like to see as much of the created wonders as
The Hunter Bird – Article by Gareth Jones
The Hunter Bird Of The Nairobi National Park It was late in the afternoon as I entered the East Gate. As the weather was fairly gloomy and cloudy, I had not prepared my camera to be ready for any natural event.
Lionese Lessons!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Lionese Lessons- The Nairobi National Park Just imagine if we understood Lion talk!
The Royal Cub Club!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Royal Cub Club - Lion Life Is Tough! Lion cubs are indeed very cute creatures and sightings are immensely enjoyed by those who see them in the wild. However, while there are playful and joyful moments, being part of the
Balancing The Biomass – Article by Gareth Jones
Balancing The Biomass At The NNP - Written by Gareth Jones We all need the energy to survive in the world, wild animals who eat plant species can only survive and thrive if there is enough plant material, like grasses, leaves,
The Elusive Bushpigs!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Elusive Bushpigs Of Nairobi National Park There is something mysterious and wondrous about being in a natural forest, and the Langata forest part of the Nairobi National Park is such a place. The thick bush is a hiding place for
The Big Babies!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Big Babies Of Nairobi National Park As we drove around a bend in the road, a female white rhino and her calf were quite close to the road. We stopped and observed them for a while, as we sat in
Ol Pejeta Safari- Article by Gareth Jones
SAFARI AT THE OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY For many years we heard interesting stories of people going to Ol Pejeta for a few days. So about 3 years ago we eventually decided to go for 2 nights. I went online and looked
Highlighting Hyrax!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Highlighting Hyrax In The Nairobi National Park Very early one morning we drove down the western boundary, it was a clear, crisp morning and everything seemed new and fresh. After a while, we drove up the steep slope that leads to the
Fun Family Moments!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Fun Family Moments At The Nairobi National Park The alarm clock buzzed at 05h00 as we awoke to a new day and arrived at the gate just after 06H00. The master plan was to spend the entire day in the park, and
Unique Hamerkop Birds – Article by Gareth Jones
Unique Hamerkop Birds Of Nairobi National Park! The recent rains have resulted in a very wet park, it is amazing how areas that were bone dry a month ago have now almost become marshes and even mini lakes. One thing about
The Lion’s Friend!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Lion's Friend In The Nairobi National Park Sometimes there are times when I look for really small things. Some time ago, I found an older lioness lying next to the road in the Nairobi National Park, she was covered with
The Thrill Bills!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Thrill Bills Of The Nairobi National Park As I approached a dam in the forest near the Langata gate, a flash of colour caught my eye, there in the midst of the reeds was a magnificent saddle-billed stork. I sat
Maasai Mara Moments- Article by Gareth Jones
Wonderful Maasai Mara Moments With Gareth Jones The year 2020 has been an extreme year in many ways, with millions of people worldwide being severely restricted regarding legal permission to travel and also facing serious economic losses. We personally became “locked-in” to Nairobi
The Playful Pups!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Playful Pups Of Nairobi National Park Early one cool cloudy morning, we entered the East gate and drove towards the southern end of the park. As we approached the No 10 murram heaps, we found 2 black-backed jackal pups sitting
The Suni – Article by Gareth Jones
The Suni- Special & Secretive A while ago while driving on the tar road towards the main gate in the late afternoon, I saw a tiny antelope eating next to the road. It was a tiny Suni! They are only found
Rhino Crossing – Article by Gareth Jones
RHINO CROSSING IN THE NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK Every time we drive into the park there is an excitement in knowing that every day is different and that we might witness something unusual. Recently on a relatively cool morning, we drove to
GANDA PLUS U!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Experience “Ganda Plus U”! This time of year with the mid-year approaching fast, many families are considering plans to travel to various vacation destinations within Kenya. However, in this article, I wish to highlight the other option right next to
Spotted Cat!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Spotting The Spotted Cat - By Gareth Jones It was early morning on a beautiful day, as we drove slowly through the park appreciating the sunrise and God’s wonderful creation. As we drove along the western boundary over rocky terrain, a
The Struggling Marabou!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Struggling Marabou In The Nairobi National Park Then on a recent Sunday afternoon, I was with some international guests who were looking forward to seeing and enjoying some of the wonderful and interesting sightings in the park. We drove down
New Life Moments!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
We recently witnessed an incredible event at the Hyena dam in the Nairobi National Park. A fish eagle landed on the bank of the dam and stood for a while. Then it suddenly took off, and flew rapidly up as
Purely Purply Moments- Article by Gareth Jones
Purely Purply Moments With The Purple Gallinule- Article by Gareth Jones I sat for some time at the Hyena dam and patiently watched and waited. Everything looked so much greener and the dam was very full and overflowing due to recent
Elands Are Elegant!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
ELEGANT ELANDS OF THE NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK Wow! What a sight for the naked eye to behold, before me stood a big herd of elands, moving slowly across the Embakasi plains as they grazed and interacted with each other. So many
Nairobi Culture Vultures!- Article by Gareth Jones
Vultures Of The Nairobi National Park The stench of rotting flesh permeated the air in the area around the dam and tar road near the No2 junction. For some days now many people had watched lions feeding on a buffalo carcass,
The Hybrid Waterbuck – Article by Gareth Jones
The Hybrid Waterbuck Of The Nairobi National Park Waterbuck are one of those species in the Nairobi National Park that are not often seen and are therefore not really predictable on their exact location. I do know they are seen most
Some Monkey Business!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Some Monkey Business In The Nairobi National Park Driving near large trees along the Athi river we saw a large troop of vervet monkeys. It was late afternoon with the sun shining, and many of them sat enjoying the warmth. With
Tortoises & Terrapins- Article by Gareth Jones
Tortoises & Terrapins Of The Nairobi National Park With the recent heavy rains, although the park was very wet and muddy, it has been possible to see more of the creatures that are not normally seen. While driving along I saw
Creatures In Trees!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Creatures In Trees Of The Nairobi National Park! There is something mysterious and wondrous about being in a natural forest irrespective of where you are in Africa, and the Nairobi National Park is such a wonderful place. The thick bush is
The Big Bull Bully!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Big Bull Bully In The Nairobi National Park A few weeks ago, we drove down towards the murram heaps near No 10 junction. I chose to use the rougher track to approach the area, in the hope of seeing something
Nightjar The Night Star- Article by Gareth Jones
NIGHTJAR THE NIGHT STAR OF NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK For those who enter the park very early when the gates open at 06h00, it is an opportunity to have a glimpse of some of the night creatures, when it is still quite
The Lurking Leopards – Article by Gareth Jones
The Story Of The Lurking Leopards - Written by Gareth Jones It was early morning on a crisply cold day in September 2014. I decided to change my normal route and drove past the Kingfisher picnic site, and soon came across
The Nairobi Elephants – Article by Gareth Jones
The Nairobi Elephants At The Elephant Orphanage A while ago we arrived at the Elephant Orphanage a few minutes before 11h00, there was already a large crowd of people in the queue waiting to see the baby elephants. It is one
Lark Kills Mantis!- Article by Gareth Jones
Lark Kills Mantis In The Nairobi National Park It was late in the afternoon and the shadows began to form shapes across the road, I was driving slowly, and stopping frequently to watch and listen. I continued driving as I watched
Baby Baboons- Article by Gareth Jones
BABY BABOONS OF THE NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK Not too long ago, much wildlife roamed freely in the Nairobi area as there was very little human development, however, in the last 100 years the city has grown dramatically and most of the
Nairobi’s Royal Birds – Article by Gareth Jones
THE ROYAL CRANES! - BY GARETH JONES We slowly approached a treed area where there was a dam with reeds. As we sat quietly waiting, a family of grey crowned cranes emerged from the long grass and walked along the edge
Zebra “On The Roll”- Article by Gareth Jones
ZEBRA “ON THE ROLL" AT THE NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK Year after year the plains zebra faithfully return to the Nairobi park to seek fine pasture. In recent years this feat is becoming more and more challenging with the pressures of human
The Gentle Giants!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
THE GENTLE GIANTS OF NNP Looking down from the wall of the Athi dam, we watched as a large herd of giraffe lined up to drink out of a stream just below the dam. They seemed to prefer fresh running water
An Enjoyable Park Day!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
AN ENJOYABLE PARK DAY AT THE NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK The alarm clock buzzed at 04h30 as we awoke to a new day! We prepared then packed the car and arrived at the gate just before 06H00, then met our friendly guests
Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Nairobi National Park - Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud! Nairobi normally has 2 seasonal rain cycles annually. At the beginning of November 2019, what is known as the “short rains”, began. At first, the rains seemed normal, however, as the weeks become
Mountain Reedbuck – Article by Gareth Jones
The Chanler's Mountain Reedbuck While some people might be aware of the more common Bohor reedbuck frequenting the wetland areas of the Nairobi Park, very few people are aware of the rarely seen Chanler's Mountain reedbuck found in some of the
Cheating The Cheetah!- Article by Gareth Jones
CHEATING THE CHEETAH - NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK'S CHEETAHS As I looked over the plains not far from the Hyena dam in the Nairobi National Park, near the fence a line of a herd of Kongoni was feeding. To their left, a
The Nairobi Rhinos – Article by Gareth Jones
BLACK & WHITE IS GREY - BY GARETH JONES It is always a thrill to see Rhino in the wild, just a few days ago I saw some White Rhino peacefully grazing in the park. That reminded me of the exciting
Super Sensitive Servals!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Super Sensitive Servals Of The Nairobi National Park When driving in the Nairobi National Park, always be prepared for those “suddenly” moments when you see something rare or special. It is good to drive with your camera ON! and READY! and
The Wildest Holiday!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Wildest Holiday In The Nairobi National Park The alarm clock buzzed at 04h30 as we awoke to a new day! We packed the car and arrived at the gate just after 06H10, excited to be able to visit the
Bravo Tsavo East! – Article by Gareth Jones
Tsavo East National Park - Bravo Tsavo East! The alarm clock buzzed at 04h00, we rapidly awoke and packed a few remaining items into our car and left Nairobi just after 05H00. After weeks of waiting, we were actually on our
The Unique African Antelope – Article by Gareth Jones
UNIQUE AFRICAN ANTELOPE - BY GARETH JONES Wow! What a sight for the naked eye to behold, before me stood a big herd of elands, moving slowly across the Embakasi plains as they grazed and interacted with each other. So
The Mighty Buffalo – Article by Gareth Jones
NAIROBI BUFFALO HERDS - BY GARETH JONES Some years ago, as I rounded a bend in the Langata forest, the road was full of buffalo. There were so many, from tiny calves to cows to young bulls to old bulls, what
Sunbirds Of Nairobi National Park – Article by Gareth Jones
Wonderful Sunbird Therapy! - Nairobi National Park After plentiful rains this year, there is an abundance of wildflowers in the park, as a result, many species actively gain nutrition from flowers, including the wonderful sunbirds. Sunbirds are incredibly created and are
Cubs Are Cute!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Cute Cubs Of The Nairobi National Park - Written by Gareth Jones Just imagine for a moment if we could actually understand Lion talk!
The River Horse!- Article by Gareth Jones
The River Horse: Hippos In Nairobi! Some years ago, it was getting late on a cloudy day and almost becoming evening, and being tired after a long day, I rode slowly but purposefully through the park, not really putting extra effort
Flightless & Fast!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Flightless & Fast In The Nairobi National Park One fine afternoon, I drove into the park from the East gate. An ostrich was walking quickly parallel to the road. So I drove slowly forward towards him, the ostrich responded by increasing
The Call Of Africa!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Call Of Africa: The African Fish Eagle! A few years ago, we witnessed an incredible and very rare natural event at the Hyena dam in the Nairobi National Park. A fish eagle landed on the bank of the dam and
The Longest Lizard!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Longest Lizard In The Nairobi National Park After a cold day the sun finally came out giving some warmth. I drove down towards the Hyena dam, and I saw a fairly large monitor lizard, sunning itself on the side of
The Red Buck!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Red Buck - Impala Of Nairobi! One fine afternoon, I drove in the area of the Kingfisher picnic site, looking over the valley below at the splendor before me. The park is looking like a beautiful garden after the good
The Warty Wallow!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Warty Wallow Of The Nairobi National Park Walter Warty awoke with an oinky grunt, and mumbled to his dear wife Wartilda “Mmmm! snork… snort… snork…how about us going to the Athi Health Spa this morning for full mudpack treatment?” Wartilda
More Than Just Lions!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Much More Than Lions! The alarm clock buzzed at 05h00, as we awoke to a new day and arrived at the gate just after 06H00. The master plan was to spend the entire day in the park, and just enjoy all
The ‘Bluetiful’ Guineafowl!! – Article by Gareth Jones
The “Bluetiful” Guineafowl Of Africa We awoke early before sunrise and prepared for a morning game drive in the Meru National Park. Departing just before sunrise, we soon arrived at a low river crossing bridge, then suddenly as we reached about
The Rare Cheetah!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Rare Cheetah In The Nairobi National Park We awoke very early and entered the park just after 06h00. I decided to slowly head down towards the Athi Basin via the western boundary. We drove slowly and eventually arrived at the
The Cunning Cuckoo!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Cunning Cuckoo In The Nairobi National Park Early one weekend morning, we ventured into the Athi basin, and eventually arrived at the Athi dam. This particular dam is always a rewarding place to sit quietly and watch nature happening around
Go For A Get-Away!!!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
We recently witnessed an incredible event at the Hyena dam in the Nairobi National Park. A fish eagle landed on the bank of the dam and stood for a while. Then it suddenly took off, and flew rapidly up as
The Tiny Suni!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Tiny Suni Of The Nairobi National Park While driving on the tar road towards the main gate in the late afternoon, I saw a tiny antelope eating next to the road. It was a tiny Suni, only found in the
The Biggest Bird!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Biggest Bird In The World! Several years ago, we visited the Oudtshoorn district in South Africa, well known for the many large Ostrich farms in the area. We stood behind a fence watching the many ostrich feeding, soon a large
A Fabulous Family Outing!- Article by Gareth Jones
A Fabulous Family Outing In The Nairobi National Park! With the upcoming holidays approaching, many families are looking for activities that will result in great memories and a wonderful family time together. Planning your family outing is a key part of
The Stealth Striker!! – Article by Gareth Jones
The Stealth Striker Of The Nairobi National Park It was a cold, dark, moonless night as the little baby shrub hare followed its mother to find suitable food to satisfy their hunger. One moment “mom” was in front, then suddenly “mom”
The Nose Knows!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Nose Knows: The Language Of Smell I find it incredible to note how many wonderful creatures have a very powerful sense of smell. As many of us are aware, in the wild, all the senses are important in order to
The Young Ones!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Young Ones Of Nairobi National Park There is something, very special, about new life. In the wild, irrespective of if the particular young of the species is a herbivore or a predating carnivore, there is perhaps something “cute” when observing
Nurturing The Forest!! – Article by Gareth Jones
Nurturing The Forest - Nairobi National Park In the last three months of 2021, a wonderful plan to plant close to 900 trees on a neglected section of the original Nairobi Greenline swung into action. It was exciting to see many
Wild Striped Equines!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Wild Striped Equines Of Nairobi National Park It was getting hot in the car as the sun rose high overhead. As we rounded a corner, a herd of magnificently patterned creatures stood in the road, they were seemingly dazed by the
Pipe Lions & Sign Lions!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Pipe Lions & Sign Lions Of The Nairobi National Park! Recently, I was driving in the Athi basin on some of the newly reconstructed roads. I was with two international visitors who were really enjoying their outing in the park. Naturally,
FRANK & LYN!!! – Article by Gareth Jones
The Tale Of Frank & Lyn! Lyn waited patiently as a new day dawned. It had been a very lonely night as Frank did not come home. Lyn became increasingly concerned at sunrise, and she began to search the area where
Birds, Birds & More Birds!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Birds Of Nairobi National Park! As I sat thinking of the amazing diversity of bird species in the tiny Nairobi National Park, the idea came to me to check the global records. Well, a bit of quick research revealed that there
The Good Safaritans!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Good Safaritans Of The Nairobi National Park! One thing that has always touched me in life, is when people help those in need, especially when they expect nothing in return. Many people know the biblical parable of the good Samaritan
Holiday Moments!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Holiday Moments In The Park! Well, 2021 has seemingly flown past and it is now the time at the end of the year, when families usually want to spend quality time together, either at home or at a venue that they
ALIVE@75!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Alive@75 - Celebrating The Nairobi National Park! In 1898, the Uganda Railway project reached a point where there was a swampy section at the railway marker of “mile 326”. The water was deemed clean and fresh enough to declare the place
The Speedy Spots!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Speedy Spots: Africa's Remaining Cheetahs Clouds of dust arose rapidly as thousands of wildebeest accelerated to escape, then in a flash five speeding cheetahs caught up with the herd and targeted their victim. Within seconds, one of the cheetah was
Our Friends The Bats!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Our Friends The Bats Of Nairobi National Park Sometimes, there are times when we really slow down to look for the really small things. One day near the hippo pools, our reward came in the form of some bats that were
Just Dust!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Just Dust In The Nairobi National Park I watched as a large cloud of rust coloured dust arose from the hot dry plains driven by a seemingly desperate surge of wind. After spending an entire day in the Nairobi National Park
No Need For Speed!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
No Need For Speed In The Nairobi National Park Some time ago, I drove through the park after a long tiring day at work. I was starting to feel more relaxed after a pleasant drive through the park. Then suddenly my
Are Starlings Darlings? – Article by Gareth Jones
Starlings Of The Nairobi National Park When visiting the various National parks in Kenya, it is difficult not to see various species of starlings. The Nairobi National Park is one of the parks that has some special varieties like the
Open Bill Thrill!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Open Bill Thrill - Nairobi National Park As we approached the Athi basin dam early one morning, I slowed the vehicle down to a crawl speed in the hope that my arrival would not alarm any wildlife that might be at
GO RHINO GO!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
GO RHINO GO - The African Rhinos! It is always a thrill to see Rhino in the wild, just a few days ago I saw some White Rhino peacefully grazing in the park. That reminded me of the exciting event in
The “Speckletacular” Cats! – Article by Gareth Jones
The “Speckletacular” Cats: The Nairobi Servals When driving in the Nairobi National Park, always be prepared for those “suddenly” moments when you see something rare or special. It is good to drive with your camera ON! and READY! and next to
Nairobi Lion Days!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Nairobi Lion Days: The Lions Of The Nairobi National Park! Starting as an idea with a humble beginning in 2013 World Lion Day has continued as the brainchild of co-founders Dereck and Beverly Joubert, a husband-and-wife team with a passion for
The Unsung Heroes!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Unsung Heroes Of Wildlife As I arrived at the east gate of the Nairobi National Park, I glanced at the wall, and there in bold print was a sign with a clear message from the past in the words of
Interesting Symbiotic Relationships!!- Article by Gareth Jones
Interesting Symbiotic Relationships In The Nairobi National Park We observed a large herd of buffalo drinking water and wallowing at the Embakasi dam, however, we were fascinated by the presence of many red-billed and yellow-billed oxpeckers on and around the buffalo
The Speedy Antelopes!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Speedy Antelopes Of The Nairobi National Park On a recent Sunday afternoon drive while making slow progress towards the Athi basin we saw mixed herds of Thomson's gazelle (tommies) and Grant's gazelle near the No 10 murram heaps. As we
The Sandgrouse Safari!!!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Sandgrouse Safari At The Nairobi National Park After another dry and dusty night, three tiny little black-faced sandgrouse chicks began to “cheep-cheep” to their parents that they were getting very thirsty. The sun was just beginning to rise when their