New Zealand’s Endangered Dolphins

ISBN: 978-1-776940639
Publisher: White Cloud Books (Upstart Press)
Author: Maria Gill
Illustrator: Marco Ivancic
Paperback: 32 pages
Ages: 6+
RRP: $27.99
Released: 8th May 2024

New Zealand’s Endangered Dolphins

Around New Zealand waters are the smallest and most endangered dolphins in the world. Find out about the North Island New Zealand dolphin (popoto or Māui dolphin) and South Island New Zealand dolphin (pahu or Hector’s dolphin) from award-winning writer Maria Gill, and illustrator Marco Ivancic.

Learn more about these playful, intelligent and beautiful mammals and how marine sanctuaries are helping to protect them.

Watch the trailer

Reviews

Whenever I review a nonfiction book I compare the information and arrangement of information with online sources to see which is better in terms of subject matter and age appropriateness. In this picture book about two endangered New Zealand dolphins – popoto (Māui) and pahu (Hector’s) – this book wins hands down… Marco Ivancic’s diagrams, photographs, maps and illustrations enhance the excellent information and easy text of Maria Gill. An award-winning nonfiction book if I ever saw one.

Read more… Bobs Book Blog [bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com

ISBN: 978-1-776940639
Publisher: White Cloud Books (Upstart Press)
Author: Maria Gill
Illustrator: Marco Ivancic
Paperback: 32 pages
Ages: 6+
RRP: $27.99
Released: 8th May 2024

Journal notes

Ten years ago, I wrote a fictional story with an underlying message that the Maui’s dolphins need our help. It was called ‘The Last of Maui’s Dolphins’. It went out of print several years ago. I reprinted it on Amazon and you can buy it there. When I asked for the rights back from Upstart Press, they asked me to write a nonfiction book on the New Zealand North and South Island dolphins (were called Maui and Hector’s dolphins). Of course, I agreed! And so, I was back in the world of New Zealand’s precious endemic dolphins. I was very fortunate to have Dr Elisabeth Slooten, who is New Zealand’s foremost dolphin scientist, check the book and advise me. I was astounded to find out that their population have not grown since I last wrote about them, and their existence is still very perilous.

I write this book for children to bring back our awareness of these endangered dolphins. We can’t allow their population to decrease any further. In order to help the scientists battling on our behalf we need to protest about too much boat activity in their habitat, stopping more deep-sea mining, and being more careful with our fishing gear, plastic, and cat poops near marine environments.

I was thrilled to be paired with Marco Ivancic again and he has created the most gorgeous illustrations of the dolphins. They’ll melt your heart and make you fall in love with them all over again.

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