NAIROBI, Kenya- The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has launched an emergency response after two lionesses from Nairobi National Park were sighted outside the protected area, raising fresh concerns over public safety along the city’s southern outskirts.
In a public advisory issued on Wednesday, January 7, KWS confirmed that the big cats were last seen in Sholinke Trading Area, roughly 8.3 kilometres from the park’s boundary.
The animals’ most recent recorded location was marked at UTM coordinates 37 M 261961, 9834651.
“KWS teams are actively managing the situation,” the agency said, noting that veterinary and ranger units are already on the ground.
According to the wildlife agency, veterinary teams are en route to dart, capture and safely relocate the lionesses back into Nairobi National Park. KWS emphasised that the operation is ongoing and that public safety remains the top priority.
Residents in the affected area were urged to remain calm, avoid approaching the sighting location, keep children indoors, and stay clear of the zone until the operation is concluded.
Why lion sightings outside the park keep happening
Human-wildlife encounters around Nairobi National Park have become increasingly common as residential developments continue to expand along the park’s unfenced southern boundary.
The park—located barely 10 kilometres from Nairobi’s city centre—is fenced on three sides but left open to the south to allow natural wildlife migration.
However, that corridor now overlaps with rapidly growing settlements, bringing lions into frequent and sometimes dangerous contact with people.
Residents in areas such as Kitengela, Rongai and parts of Kajiado North routinely report lions wandering into compounds.
Neighbourhood WhatsApp groups often circulate CCTV footage of lions scaling perimeter walls, attacking livestock, and even snatching household pets, warning neighbours to stay indoors.
A history of deadly encounters
The risks were tragically highlighted in April 2025, when 14-year-old Peace Mwende was killed by a lioness on a ranch bordering Nairobi National Park.
KWS said the child was snatched from a residential compound, with rangers later recovering her remains near the Mbagathi River.
Although the lion involved was not immediately located, KWS deployed traps, search teams and additional patrols to prevent further attacks.
Other widely shared incidents in 2024 and 2025 included footage of lions roaming residential estates, with one viral clip showing a lion snatching a Rottweiler dog from a home near the park.
