Africa is no longer there, 'where eagles dare'. On the African continent, birds of prey have declined by 90% in the last 40 years. There are many causes: vultures and the like have died poisoned by the many carcasses of animals infected by disease or because they were killed by poachers with chemical weapons, or even by herdsmen to deter lions from approaching. Deforestation also plays a role, as does the proliferation of power lines throughout Africa, which prove fatal to the birds that perch on them to hunt prey.
Two of the few places where birds of prey are still safe are in Kenya, they are the 'Soysambu Raptor Centre' and the 'Naivasha Raptor Centre', veterinary and rehabilitation facilities of the Kenya Bird of Prey Trust, in the Soysambu reserve, not far from Lake Elmenteita, between Naivasha and Nakuru, and on Lake Naivasha.
The Soysambu Bird of Prey sanctuary is also surrounded by electricity pylons with high-voltage cables, but vets, technicians, trainers and volunteers take care of the native population and those who bring them injured or endangered animals. These are mainly fish eagles, but also white-backed vultures and other types of birds of prey, including some endangered ones.
The Naivasha Raptor Centre is located in Kilimandege Sanctuary, South Lake Rd, Lake Naivasha. It is designed to act as a first base for incoming injured birds, where initial care and accommodation is provided, and to provide long-term care for recovering and permanently injured raptors, to be exhibited to the public for educational purposes.
The centre is run by Shiv Kapila and his team who manage, feed and care for the birds, clean the enclosures and provide interactive and educational visits to visitors by appointment.
Of course, both centres (The Soysambu Raptor Centre works in synergy with the one in Naivasha) can be visited. The current raptor accommodation houses 28 birds. In 2020, the first phase of special enclosures for vultures was completed, as well as individual enclosures for the different birds in care.
Plans are in place to expand and increase the raptor accommodation to accommodate more birds, including the construction of additional long-term enclosures for birds that cannot return to the wild and an additional reef for vultures that will be in the care of the centres for the rest of their lives.

(PHOTO BY PAOLO TORCHIO)