Residents of Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County have been warned to be extra careful after two lionesses escaped from Nairobi National Park and moved into nearby areas. The Kenya Wildlife Service has confirmed that the animals were last seen in Sholinke Trading Centre, an area that lies close to human settlements. Sholinke is about eight kilometres from the park boundary and roughly nine kilometres from the centre of Ongata Rongai, raising concern among residents due to the close distance.
In a statement released on Wednesday, January 7, KWS said it was closely monitoring the situation and had already taken action to deal with the matter.
The service shared the exact coordinates, 37 M 261961 UTM 9834651, which mark the last known location of the two lionesses. This information has been useful in guiding response teams as they search for the animals.
According to KWS, trained rangers and veterinary teams were immediately dispatched to track the lions and safely return them to Nairobi National Park.
Residents living in and around Sholinke and Ongata Rongai were advised to stay away from the area, keep children indoors, and remain calm while the operation continues.
Members of the public were also asked to report any sightings through the KWS toll-free number 0800 597 000 or WhatsApp number 0726 610 509.
KWS explained the situation in its official communication, stating, “Two lionesses from Nairobi National Park have been sighted in the Sholinke Trading Area, approximately 8.3 km from the park boundary. KWS teams are actively managing the situation.”
The service further reassured the public by saying, “KWS rangers are on site, and veterinary teams are en route to safely dart, capture, and relocate the lionesses. The operation is ongoing, with public safety as the top priority.”
This incident is not new to residents of Rongai and surrounding areas. In recent years, there have been several cases of wild animals, especially lions and hyenas, straying into public and residential areas near Nairobi National Park. The growing interaction between wildlife and human settlements has often caused fear and concern, particularly when animals move close to homes.
In March 2025, a similar incident caused alarm after CCTV footage showed a lioness roaming within a residential area in Rongai. The video, which spread widely online, showed the animal walking up to the gate of a secured compound before climbing onto a concrete wall that supported a metal gate. The footage left many residents worried about their safety.
However, some people took a different view, noting that Rongai borders wildlife territories and that such sightings may occur as animals move within their natural range. In January of the same year, KWS special teams captured another lioness that had been spotted near homes in Rongai. At the time, rangers suggested the animal could have been the mother of two lions that were captured in 2024 after escaping from their original habitat.
