In the bustling metropolis of Mexico City, where concrete and steel dominate the landscape, a remarkable woman has managed to carve out a haven for one of nature's most delicate and enchanting creatures – the hummingbird. Meet 73-year-old Catia Lattouf, an avid bird lover who has turned her apartment into a sanctuary for these tiny, vibrant birds.
The start of a beautiful friendship
In a city where green spaces are at a premium, and urban wildlife is often pushed to the fringes, Euronews reports that Lattouf’s passion for hummingbirds began in 2011, just a year after surviving colon cancer, when she began caring for a hummingbird that had an eye injured by another bird.She named the bird Gucci after the brand of the eyeglasses case where she kept it and soon they became the best of friends. The tiny hummingbird perched on Lattouf’s computer screen while she worked.
“This was in 2012, and I was still scared that the cancer would come back, because it hadn’t even been two years. There always remains some doubt, as the doctors say it could reappear,” Lattouf told Courthouse News.
“He was my emotional medicine,” Lattouf said of Gucci, adding, “Rebirth. He gave me a new life.” Gucci was the first, but many hummingbirds came to be cared for by Lattouf.
Creating a hummingbird sanctuary
For years Lattouf’s home had been a makeshift bird sanctuary, but she was concerned about whether she would be able to provide for the unique requirements of hummingbirds. However, since then, Lattouf has worked to increase awareness of the ecological significance of hummingbirds and has saved and released hundreds of them.
According to the conservation group Pollinator Partnership, hummingbirds are an essential component of the American food web and pollinate a wide variety of flowering plants from Alaska to the southernmost point of South America.
Through her dedication and passion, Lattouf has shown that even in the heart of a sprawling urban landscape, it is possible to coexist with and protect the natural world. Her hummingbird sanctuary stands as a testament to the transformative power of a single individual's commitment to the environment. In a city that can sometimes feel disconnected from nature, Lattouf’s apartment serves as a vivid reminder of the beauty and wonder that can be found when we make space for the wild in our everyday lives.
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