Residents of Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County have been urged by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to remain on high alert after two lionesses escaped the Nairobi National Park.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 7, the service said that the two lions were last seen in Sholinke Trading Centre, which is approximately 8km from the park. The Sholinke area is barely 9 kilometres from the heart of Ong'ata Rongai.
The service has indicated that 37 M 261961 UTM 9834651 were the last coordinates the two cats were spotted.
The service has already dispatched a team of rangers and veterinarians to track and capture the lions and take them back to the park.
Residents in this area have been advised to avoid the area, keep children indoors, and contact the service via toll-free 0800 597 000 or WhatsApp 0726 610 509, in case they spot them.
"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," KWS stated.
"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," it added.
Cases of wild animals, particularly lions and hyenas, being spotted in public areas within Nairobi and its neighbouring counties, especially Rongai, have been common in the recent past.
In March 2025, CCTV footage captured another lioness roaming a residential area in Rongai, triggering fear among residents.
According to a clip that circulated online, the lioness was recorded approaching the gate of a well-secured compound before climbing on top of the concrete wall that holds the metal gate.
While some people expressed fear, others said that the lion could have been within its natural habitat, as the area lies near a wildlife territory.
In January of that same year, special teams from KWS captured another lioness that was spotted near a residential area in Rongai.
In a press briefing, rangers said that the cat might have been the mother of two other lions that were also captured in 2024 after escaping from their original habitat.
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