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Takahe Spurs New Children's Short Story Competition

The plight of the takahe, an endangered native species, is coming under the spotlight as a topic for budding unpublished authors.

The children's short story competition is a partnership between Mitre 10 and Random House and builds on the success of the Mitre 10 Takahe Rescue, a three-year sponsorship of the DOC Takahe breeding program which based at Burwood Bush near Te Anau.

Authors are asked to write a story about a takahe, a flightless bird that is related to the pukeko but only found naturally amid the sub alpine forests of the Murchison Mountains.  There are just under 300 takahe remaining in New Zealand.

Sophie Smith, the 11 yr old Southlander, who has just been named New Zealand's Young Conservationist of the Year, was the inspiration behind the Mitre 10 Takahe sponsorship.

Sophie believes that all children in New Zealand will be saddened if takahe become extinct in New Zealand and wants the competition to be an incentive for people to care more about this vulnerable native bird. "When I get older I want to work with takahe - this will only be possible if we all work together to ensure they survive and breed."

Jane Arnott, executive director of the New Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation who  facilitated both the sponsorship and the short story competition confirms that interest in saving species amongst school age children is very high.

 "Children are being taught about the importance of looking after the native birds we have around us now and they understand the significance of saving them. This children's short story competition is completely in synch with this concern and children's overall curiosity about the natural world".

The winner author will be publicly announced and will be the named author in the event that Random House confirms the story as being suitable for publication. In addition the winning author will receive a family trip for up to four people to the home of Takahe Rescue - the Burwood Bush Breeding unit.

All entries need to be received by 31 October 2006.

For more information please contact:

Jane Arnott - co coordinator Mitre 10/Random House children's short story competition
03 355 8248, 0274 715 785

Alan Nees, General Manager Marketing:, Mitre 10
09 443 9900