Saving Wananga: The true story of a kea rescue
by Kris Herbert
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The true story of Wananga, a kea that was poisoned by lead, but recovered to be released again into the wild. Kea are the world's only alpine parrot, highly intelligent and famous for their cheeky, often naughty behaviour. They are, however, endangered, and while predators are the main reason for this, they are also very vulnerable to lead poisoning from lead-head nails on iron roofs. Saving Wananga is the true story of a kea from Arthur's Pass. Wananga was being studied by a kea researcher when it became obvious that he was very sick. Testing revealed that he had lead poisoning, and so he was taken to an animal hospital in Christchurch. Happily, he was treated and recovered, and was taken back to the mountains where he was released, and thrives to this day. This delightful story will have great appeal for children, who are endlessly charmed by these wonderful, popular birds, and will appreciate a hopeful story of survival and conservation in action.
About the Author
Kris Herbert is an award-winning science journalist and storyteller with a passion for New Zealand's unique flora and fauna. The spark for writing Saving Wananga was a short news bulletin about a police officer who sang to a sick kea to keep it calm while transporting from Arthur's Pass to the vet in Christchurch in 2017. D ne graduated from a French Art school, specializing in illustration, storytelling and character design. She works with traditional mediums such as ink, watercolor and pencil, often incorporating digital technique. This is her fourth book. She lives in Glenorchy, outside of Queenstown.