Nairobi Animal Orphanage

Founded in 1964, the Nairobi Animal Orphanage houses and treats over 20 animal and bird species in need of rehabilitation after injury or abandonment.

Lions, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, ostriches, parrots, and more inhabit the orphanage, which welcomes over 200,000 visitors each year.

The Nairobi Animal Orphanage is both a conservation facility for animals in need and an educational resource for the public—mainly school children who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to see these animals in the wild.

While it’s far from the majesty of seeing these creatures healthy in their natural habitats, each of the animals in the Nairobi Animal Orphanage has been taken in by park rangers to receive medical treatment before being placed in an individualized rehabilitation program for a second chance at life. The goal of the orphanage is to strengthen the animals so they may eventually be released back into the wild.

The Nairobi Animal Orphanage is located just inside Nairobi National Park just 20 minutes from the center of Nairobi, making it the world’s only capital city to also contain a national park. The orphanage is open to the public, and various tour companies offer stops there as part of safari packages.