A Bird in the Hand, Keeping New Zealand's Wildlife Safe

Forest and Bird, Issue 309, 1 August 2003, Page 44

A Bird in the Hand, Keeping New Zealand's Wildlife Safe

by Janet Hunt 128pp limpbound, Random House, Auckland 2003, RRP$29.95. This large-format colour book tells the stories of 18 rare New Zealand animals and the conservation work

which is keeping them alive. It is very attractively presented, designed

by the author, with many colour photographs of the threatened species and the work of the Department of Conservation. Here are the familiar stories of the black robin and the takahe, along with less-expected short-tailed bats, tuatara and Mercury Island tusked weta. Each story begins with a conservator at work, then explores the nature of the animal, its environment and threats to it. Accompanying boxes detail historic incidents, early conservationists, peculiar behaviours, and a very odd joke. Possibly intended for older children, it might be better read or explained to the younger ones or used as a ‘research’ resource: there’s a lot of reading to do. The quite complex ideas are often expressed in contemporary slang, and anthropomorphic views from the creatures themselves can sit uneasily alongside words like ‘endemic’ and ‘taxa. Apart from these affectations of language this book may well interest a broader audience. As a gathering together of field research and activities, it is a nice tribute to DoC workers and volunteers.