Sarah Higgins’s passion for birds of prey was particularly mesmerizing. She not only built a large aviary but has also constructed the largest avian clinic in Africa. As we toured Sarah’s aviary, we were introduced to her vision of protecting and rehabilitating birds of prey. The birds were injured and each had a terrible story, but Sarah’s determination to see these birds flourish and her emotional connection with her birds was heartwarming. In spite of her accomplishments, Sarah has an even larger vision to create an educational center to reduce stigma surrounding birds of prey. With the creation of awareness she believes that the perception about owls as messengers of death and raptors as chick snatchers could be altered. Rather these birds of prey and humans can form a mutual partnership, where both can benefit from each other’s existence.
By: Diato Opiyo (MMASc in Global Health Systems in Africa Candidate); Kevin Erratt (MSc and Collaborative Program in Global Health Systems in Africa Candidate); Danstan Maraka (BSc Egerton University)
The Africa Institute Blog 