The Peco Incident

Description

Danny is dreading the summer holiday visit by his hyper cousin, Nick. There is no predicting what Nick will get up to, especially when he's off his Ritalin. However, Nick proves to be the least of Danny's problems when bird flu hits the Otago Peninsula. At first it seems that only the local sparrows are affected. But then the boys trace the disease to Peco - The Peninsula Egg Farm - where chooks are dying by the thousands. A biosecurity alert is launched, with the owner of the farm suspected of importing diseased eggs. But Danny and Nick begin to think there might be a more sinister cause. A pair of hippy tourists always seem to be around when things are going wrong. Could they be eco-terrorists? As the end of the year approaches, it seems that the peninsula's endangered penguins and albatrosses are under attack. The only hope to save these rare birds becomes a race against time through the gun tunnels and cliff-tops of Taiaroa Head. A race, that if lost could cause the extinction of a species. Age 9-12

Des Hunt is a well respected educationalist and teacher, responsible for writing the national primary schools science curriculum. He has written a series of successful environmental adventures for 9-12 year olds. He lives in Whitianga, NZ and teaches at the Mercury Bay Area School.