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This friendly giraffe, and the warthogs at its feet, live at the Giraffe Center just outside Nairobi. Visitors to the popular nature sanctuary are encouraged to feed the giraffes from the raised observation platform. The center focuses on breeding its endangered Rothschild giraffes and conservation education.

Dwarfed by Mt. Kilimanjaro (across the border in Tanzania), this elephant makes a solitary journey across a game park in Amboseli.

A large herd of elephants makes its way across Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya. Amboseli is generally recognized as the best place in Africa to get close to elephants in their natural surroundings.

Approximately 250 km (160 mi) from Nairobi and close to the Tanzania border, Amboseli National Park affords visitors many opportunities to see magnificent animals like this one close up. Note the small white bird near the foot of the elephant. These "cattle egrets" are opportunistic feeders that often follow the elephants and eat the insects kicked up by the movement of their much larger friends.

This solitary elephant slowly makes its way across the game reserve as the sun sets on Amboseli National Park. Early morning and evening game drives introduce safari goers to the incredible beauty of this African treasure.

Distinctive acacia trees line the dirt road carved out by safari vehicles in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Beautiful scenery, gentle rolling grasslands, and an abundance of wildlife define this unique region of the world.

Lions can pass within feet of open safari vehicles in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Masai Mara guides and safari participants were taken by surprise when this rhinoceros unexpectedly pushed its way through the brush and stopped only three meters (ten feet) from the group.

Although all of the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopard) may be seen in the Masai Mara National Reserve, it probably is most famous for its lions. In this photo, a mother and her playful and easily distracted cub walk directly toward a stationary safari vehicle.

Lion in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Thompsons Gazelle in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Zebra Herd in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Elephant in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Dawn in Masai Mara National Reserve.

Crocodiles along the Mara River.

Zebras at pool of water in Nairobi National Park.

The thorns on this acacia tree in Nairobi National Park are very evident.

Storks roosting in trees at Nairobi National Park.

Ibis and storks in Nairobi National Park.

A landscape view from the road above the Rift Valley. Sections of the Rift Valley have been a rich source of fossils that have facilitated the study of human evolution.

A view from inside the Rift Valley. Portions of the Rift Valley have proven to be a rich source of fossils that have enhanced the study of human evolution.

Fischer's Tower at the eastern entrance to Hell's Gate Gorge in Hell's Gate National Park. The park is named after a narrow break in some cliffs, the site of a tributary to a prehistoric lake that fed early humans in the Rift Valley.

Hell's Gate National Park, in the Great Rift Valley, is one of the smallest national parks in Kenya. The steep sides of the gorge were formed from water-eroded sandstone.

Known for its rugged landscape shaped by volcanic activity, Hell's Gate National Park is located not far from Kenya's capital, Nairobi. Among the park's geological features are a water-eroded gorge and obsidian caves.

Layered rocks along the trail in Hell's Gate Gorge, Hell's Gate National Park.

A view of the Kiambethu tea farm in Limuru.

Flowering bushes at the Kiambethu tea farm in Limuru.

A yellow daisy in field close to Lake Naivasha.

Every year in early October, Nairobi citizens delight in the blooming of Jacaranda trees. The Jacaranda is a sub-tropical tree noted for its attractive and long-lasting, violet-colored flowers. Trees can grow to 20 m (66 ft) in height.

Elephants at the David Sheldrick Trust - a sanctuary in Nairobi National Park that hand-rears orphaned elephant and rhinoceros calves, and later releases them back into secure sanctuaries. Orphaned and sick animals are brought to the sanctuary from all over Kenya.

A troop of baboons crossing a road.

A very full male cheetah strutting in the morning sunlight. At this point he was moving so deliberately that other animals, normally prey, knew they were safe. They did not move but just watched him pass. The cheetah is the world’s fastest land mammal. The tail rings are unique to each animal, similar to the fingerprints of a human. Found in the open savanna and bush, cheetahs hunt by sight in the light of day and stalk their prey closely. They feed on antelope, gazelle, hares, and birds.

The black-backed jackal is the most common jackal in East Africa, found in open savanna, light woodland, and bush. They are scavengers, subsisting on small birds, mammals, lizards, insects, and fruit. They will hunt small antelope when in packs.

The spotted hyena is a common predator in East Africa. Individuals belong to a clan and hunt in a pack. They are capable of killing large herbivores, and regularly scavenge the kills of lions and other cats. Hyenas are active mainly at night and are noted for their wailing calls.

The topi is a large antelope with a short glossy dark brown coat and bluish patches from the shoulders to the back legs. The horns, found on both sexes, can be 30-60 cm in length.

The hippopotamus is second in weight only to the elephant and is native to Kenya. The body is devoid of hair. Hippos have well developed incisor teeth, which they used when fighting. Eating is accomplished by the use of their large lips in a ripping motion. They remain in water during the day to avoid sunburn, and graze at night, preferring short grassy pastures.

A small herd of hippos entering the Mara River.

The southern ground hornbill is a very large bird found in open and wooded grassland and savanna, native to Kenya. It spends most of it’s day on the ground hunting for snakes, rodents, and insects. A patch of red around the eyes extending to the throat distinguishes this hornbill, which may grow to 107 cm (42 in).

The Nile crocodile is mainly nocturnal and spends much of the day submerged in water or basking on sandbars and river banks. Crocodiles are highly adapted predators, feeding on water creatures as well as land based mammals, which they capture by lying motionless or by floating like a drifting log until they are within striking distance.

The Mara is a river in Narok County that lies across the migration path of ungulates in the Maasai Mara ecosystem. The river is a vital source of water for grazing animals within the reserve. While during the dry season it may become shallow, it can swell to up to twice its normal size after a heavy rainfall. This situation can create rapids in the river, which may lead to a shortage of food for predators that cannot cross the river to hunt.

Although fearsome looking, cape water buffaloes are primarily grazers and dependent on water. They are gregarious, living in herds of 20 to 40 animals on average. Their eyesight is rather poor but their sense of smell is acute. Both males and females have heavy, ridged horns that grow straight out from the head or curve downward and then up. The horns are formidable weapons against predators and are used when jostling for space within the herd; males use the horns in fights for dominance.

Cape water buffaloes are gregarious herbivors, living in herds of 20 to 40 animals on average. Their eyesight is rather poor but their sense of smell is acute. Both males and females have heavy, ridged horns that grow straight out from the head or curve downward and then up. The horns are formidable weapons against predators and are used when jostling for space within the herd; males use the horns in fights for dominance. The oxpecker is a medium-sized bird that can have a symbiotic relationship with the water buffalo. Large mammals like the water buffalo are prone to ticks, which feed on their blood and can spread diseases and cause anemia. Luckily for the water buffalo, the oxpecker feeds on ticks. By eating the ticks from the hide of the water buffalo, the oxpecker gets a free meal, and the water buffalo gets cleaned of parasites.

The ostrich is the largest bird in the world, standing between two and 2.5 m in height and weighing up to 130 kg. The mail has black and white plumage; the plumage of the female is a mix of gray and brown.

Common hippos are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and are estimated to number between 115,000 and 130,000. The name “Hippopotamus” is Greek for “river horse,” an appropriate name as hippos live in and around rivers, lakes, and mangroves, using the water and mud to keep cool (they do not sweat) and wet to protect their sensitive skin from the sun. Hippos are the second-largest land animal after the elephant and, though ungainly in appearance, can run on land up to 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances.

Olive baboons are the most common of east Africa’s primates. They live together in troops, varying in number from a handful to over 100. They feed throughout the day both on the ground and in trees.

The candelabra tree is common in Kenya's Rift Valley; it is a succulent that can grow to a height of 15 m. The trunk is short and thick and forms a solid base that spreads out in a multitude of branches, resembling a candelabra. Giraffes enjoy the leaves.

The candelabra tree is common in Kenya's Rift Valley; it is a succulent that can grow to a height of 15 m. The trunk is short and thick and forms a solid base that spreads out in a multitude of branches, resembling a candelabra. Giraffes enjoy the leaves.

Clouds over the Mara Masai plains.

Cirrostratus (upper) and cumulus (lower) clouds over the Mara Masai plains.

The winding Mara River as seen from the air.

While cheetahs can reach remarkable speeds, they cannot sustain a high-speed chase for very long. They must catch their prey in 30 seconds or less as they cannot maintain maximum speeds for much longer. Cheetahs spend most of their time sleeping and they are minimally active during the hottest portions of the day. They prefer shady spots and will sleep under the protection of large shady trees. Cheetahs do not hunt at night, they are most active during the morning and evening hours.

The gerenuk, also known as the giraffe gazelle, is a long-necked antelope found in the Horn of Africa and the drier parts of East Africa. Characterised by its long, slender neck and limbs, the antelope is 80–105 cm (2-3 ft) tall, and weighs between 28 and 52 kg (62 and 115 lb).

The gerenuk, whose name means “giraffe-necked” in Somali, is an exceptionally long-necked antelope. The gerenuk have large eyes and ears, but only the males have horns. Their coat that is brown on the upper back and lighter on the sides. Like many other gazelles, these large antelopes have preorbital glands in front of the eyes that emit a tar-like, scent-bearing substance they deposit on twigs and bushes to mark their territory. Though most births occur during the rainy season, the gerenuk breed year-round, as mothers typically conceive again within weeks of giving birth. Gestation is about seven months, and the young remain hidden for several weeks. The fawn pictured is likely only a few days old.

Also known as the gnu, the wildebeest is a member of the antelope family that has a large, box-like head with curving horns. Every year, wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelle, zebra, eland, and other ungulates (hoofed animals) participate in what has been called "the greatest show on earth" - The Great Wildebeest Migration. It is unclear how the wildebeest know in which way to migrate, but it is generally believed that their journey is dictated primarily by their response to the weather, i.e., they follow the rains and the growth of new grass.

Coke's hartebeests are found in herds on the open plains and scrublands of sub-Saharan Africa, where they often mingle with herds of zebras or of other antelope. They are distinguished by their backs, which slope downward from heavy forequarters to narrow hindquarters; their long faces are accentuated, in both sexes, by ringed, lyre-shaped horns that are united at the base.

Lions in mating season. Both sexes are polygamous and breed throughout the year, but females are usually restricted to the one or two adult males of their pride. In the wild, they usually breed no more than once in two years, and do not bother to hunt during the mating period. Females are receptive to mating for three or four days within a widely variable reproductive cycle. During this time a pair generally mates every 20–30 minutes, with up to 50 copulations per 24 hours. The gestation period is about 108 days, and the litter size varies from one to six cubs, two to four being usual.

African fish eagles at Lake Naivasha. The African fish eagle catches fish with a graceful, shallow plunge to the water’s surface, but will also eat birds, reptiles, and carrion. The eagle tosses its head backwards while making a piercing call that is one of the most distinctive bird sounds of Africa. Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake outside the town of Naivasha in Nakuru County, which lies northwest of Nairobi and is part of the Great Rift Valley.

A white-bellied bustard. Bustards are large, heavily built birds that move mostly by walking and running on the ground. They hunt for small prey like lizards and grasshoppers, but also eat seeds and shoots. The White-bellied Bustard is smaller than some of its relatives in the bustard family and is relatively common in Kenya and much of Africa in open, semi-arid, or seasonally dry habitats. The birds form small flocks that move together in search of food.

The beautiful bell-shaped flower of Canarina abyssinica, a climbing flower native to East Africa.

Although native to South America, the redvein abutilon (Abutilon pictum) is a popular horticultural planting in Africa - admired for its colorful, hibiscus-like flowers. These flowers are lantern-shaped and (among wild species) can be yellow, orange, or occasionally red or pinkish in color; they all have pronounced venation on their petals. Abutilon flowers can grow alone, in pairs, or in small clusters and are a summer delight.

A makeshift mango stand by the side of the road. The mango fruit is sold by the kilo.

Maasai women walking. The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central, and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations internationally due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress. The Maasai speak the Maa language, as well as English.

Saturday is laundry day in the Mara. Laundresses in rural areas wash with buckets and rocks. The clothing is then dried on the bushes. Many women must walk miles each day to retrieve water, and do laundry in streams, after the animals have had their fill.

Vervet monkeys are highly adaptable primates that forage the grasslands and trees of the savanna during the day and sleep in trees at night. Vervets have been noted for having human-like characteristics; they live in social groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals, with males moving to other groups when mature.

Warthogs and zebras on the savanna. The common warthog is a wild member of the pig family found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in East Africa. Its habits can seem odd: grazing on bended forelegs; entering its burrow backwards; trotting along with tail held erect, like a radio antenna. An omnivore, it uses its rubbery snout to grub up roots and tubers. It often wallows in mud to help regulate its temperature and rid parasites from its largely naked skin.

The northern white rhino is a subspecies of white rhino, which used to range over Central and East Africa. Years of widespread poaching and civil war in their home range have devastated northern white rhino populations, and they are now considered to be extinct in the wild. Only two females remain, Najin and Fatu, at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Nanyuki.

A sandy Indian Ocean beach near Watamu, along the east coast of Kenya.

Diani Beach, on the Indian Ocean coast, is some 30 km (19 mi) south of Mombasa. The beach, about 17 km (11 mi) long, is one of the most prominent tourism resort areas of Kenya. The water remains shallow near shore, allowing visitors to wade with a clear view of the sandy bottom.

A panoramic view of the Great Rift Valley, Kenya.

Massive locust swarm; such outbreaks occur periodically in East Africa. The voracious insects devour thousands of hectares of farmland and forests, and threaten food security for millions across the region, which is already vulnerable to food shortages. Photo courtesy of NASA / Gentrix Machenje.

Locusts swarming over a crop field; such outbreaks occur periodically in East Africa. The voracious insects devour thousands of hectares of farmland and forests, and threaten food security for millions across the region, which is already vulnerable to food shortages. Photo courtesy of NASA / Gentrix Machenje.

This friendly giraffe, and the warthogs at its feet, live at the Giraffe Center just outside Nairobi. Visitors to the popular nature sanctuary are encouraged to feed the giraffes from the raised observation platform. The center focuses on breeding its endangered Rothschild giraffes and conservation education.