The Giraffe Centre, Nairobi: An Ethical Visit?

As a lover of animals and a staunch advocate that they should reside in their natural habitats, I usually try to avoid places such as zoos or wildlife parks, and opt instead to spend more money, time and effort to see animals in the wild.

You can imagine my dilemma then, when the tour we booked onto for Nairobi National Park included a stop at the Giraffe Centre. As the fee for the tour included the entry ticket to the centre, and as a budget-conscious traveller, I felt duty bound to attempt to put on my tourist-tinted glasses and see if I could enjoy the visit there.

So, what did I do? I researched of course. Almost at once I could see that my prejudice had blinded me into thinking that the Giraffe Centre was a tourist trap set up merely to make money. The opposite was in fact true.

What did I find out about the Giraffe Centre?

Founded in 1979 by Jock Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of British descent, and his American wife, Betty Leslie-Melville, the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), along with the Giraffe Centre, was set up to help with conservation efforts of African animals. Whilst living in Kenya, they had discovered the plight of the Rothschild Giraffe – there were only 130 of them left in the country, and they were all located on the Soy Ranch that was to be sub-divided and developed into a residential area.

Their efforts began with two young giraffes, Daisy and Marlon, whom they brought to their home in Nairobi (their home is now known as Giraffe Manor – a hotel that you can stay in!). Whilst they raised the calves in captivity they started a giraffe breeding programme to raise numbers of this species. There are now around 700 of the Rothschild Giraffe in Kenya. Although numbers have risen since the opening of the Giraffe Centre, numbers remain low enough that the species is still endangered.

The Rothschild Giraffe is a species that is only found in East Africa and is unique because it has no markings on its’ lower legs, so they appear to be wearing white socks! They also have more of the lumps on their heads known as ossicones; they are the only giraffe species with five of these. Their coat and colouring of their patches is also paler and less distinguished than other giraffe species.

The Giraffe Centre is well known for its educational attributes, with its Nature Education Centre educating thousands of Kenyan children each month. Visits by schools are encouraged and subsidised so that the children can see these unique animals up close and learn about them. The education aims to raise locals’ awareness as to the importance of the species and their role in the ecosystem.

The Giraffe Centre also supports many other charities through the entry fees it charges and donations that are given by tourists that come to visit. These charities range massively from assisting with sustainable fishing practices on the Kenyan coast to funding recycling centres and schools.

What about the fact that the giraffes here are in captivity?

While the giraffes at the centre are in captivity, they are part of a breeding programme that was set up 45 years ago to attempt to increase the numbers of the unique Rothschild giraffe.

The aim of the centre is undoubtedly to conserve and boost numbers of this species, provide education to not only Kenyan’s but populations from around the world, and contribute to charities across the country.

The Rothschild giraffes at the centre are not held in captivity their entire lives and the centre frequently releases giraffes back into the wilds of Kenya, once they are self-sufficient and capable of looking after themselves. The centre keeps around 10 giraffes at a time to ensure there are enough for visitors to interact with but not too many for the amount of land they have.

Aside from this, the giraffes are completely free to move around the grounds and definitely have enough space to do so. None of them are tied or chained up at any time and they are pretty much left to their own devices. Of course, this means they are often around the visitors as they want to eat as much food as possible!

The giraffes here have no shortage of food – not only are they in their natural environment with trees and plants they would live amongst in the wild, they are invited to interact with guests and eat as many grass pellets as they would like.

Keen for more confirmation that the Giraffe Centre is focused on conservation? Look no further than the information centre on site. This will reassure you that conservation is at the centre’s heart. There are various videos played throughout the site which show how the money generated from the project is spent, what charities and projects are supported through visitor donations, and how many animals and people have benefitted since the centre was opened in 1979.

The centre, alongside its’ gift shop and coffee shop, employ hundreds of local residents and enable them to support themselves. The gift shop includes many locally and hand-made items which also support residents. The modern centre has been designed and developed over the years to responsibly manage energy, waste, and water, making it a more sustainable tourism destination too.

Is the Giraffe Centre an ethical place to visit?

With all of that in mind, I’d suggest that the Giraffe centre is an ethical wildlife tourist destination. Of course, you may still prefer to see giraffes in their natural habitat, and you can do so in the nearby Nairobi National Park, but if your tour includes a stop at the Giraffe Centre, see it as an opportunity to better educate yourself on this incredible species, as well as get up close and personal with them.

More info please!

You can find more information about the Giraffe Centre on their website.

The Giraffe Centre is located about 20km from Nairobi, so very easy to do in a day trip from the city. The entry fee is not expensive, at just 1500 Kenyan shillings (Nov 24) per person, approximately £9.50.

Alongside the giraffe, you can see a lot of species of birds and also lots of warthogs at the Giraffe Centre. You can also take a walk through the nature reserve across the road from the main entrance of the centre for free.