Giraffe Centre
7 images 1 contributors Shoot with care
Sue Wolfe
Shoot with care
This is an animal sanctuary. Be mindful of the animals.
About this spot
Nestled in the Nairobi suburb of Lang’ata is The Giraffe Centre, founded by Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville in 1979. With a focus on saving the Rothschild’s Giraffe, they brought two young giraffes to their home, Daisy and Marlon, to raise and breed. In 1983, enough funds were donated to build the Education Centre and expand the sanctuary to 60-acres. Today, the Giraffe Centre is a non-profit organization run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW).
When you arrive, grab a bag of food pellets and head to the raised platform. There you will be able to hand-feed the giraffes and get great photo ops. In the auditorium there are daily talks on conservation and information on the Centre’s projects. In addition to the breeding program, the organization is focused on conservation education. In a typical year 50,000 children participate in the Centre’s activities.
Calves born at the sanctuary are released into the wild at 2-3 years of age. To date, they have released more than 40 giraffes into game parks and conservancies across Kenya. The Rothschild’s giraffe is coming back from extinction. In 1979, there were 130 animals left in East Africa. Today that number has grown to approximately 2,000.
The Centre runs an art workshop for school-aged children. Their artwork is sold in the gift shop. All proceeds help fund free environmental outings for underprivileged children in Nairobi.
The nature trail is 1.5 kilometers and takes you through the sanctuary. Along the way you will see numerous birds, antelope, monkeys, and warthogs. If you see a giraffe on the trail, keep your distance—they are wild animals.
Next to the Sanctuary is the Giraffe Manor. You may not recognize the name, but you will recognize the pictures—it is one of the most photographed hotels in the world with giraffes poking their necks into the windows for a treat.
When you arrive, grab a bag of food pellets and head to the raised platform. There you will be able to hand-feed the giraffes and get great photo ops. In the auditorium there are daily talks on conservation and information on the Centre’s projects. In addition to the breeding program, the organization is focused on conservation education. In a typical year 50,000 children participate in the Centre’s activities.
Calves born at the sanctuary are released into the wild at 2-3 years of age. To date, they have released more than 40 giraffes into game parks and conservancies across Kenya. The Rothschild’s giraffe is coming back from extinction. In 1979, there were 130 animals left in East Africa. Today that number has grown to approximately 2,000.
The Centre runs an art workshop for school-aged children. Their artwork is sold in the gift shop. All proceeds help fund free environmental outings for underprivileged children in Nairobi.
The nature trail is 1.5 kilometers and takes you through the sanctuary. Along the way you will see numerous birds, antelope, monkeys, and warthogs. If you see a giraffe on the trail, keep your distance—they are wild animals.
Next to the Sanctuary is the Giraffe Manor. You may not recognize the name, but you will recognize the pictures—it is one of the most photographed hotels in the world with giraffes poking their necks into the windows for a treat.
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