I was clambering over tussock grass with my camera over my shoulder, my tape recorder under my armpit and my notebook and pen in my hand asking a dog handler about how his dog found the kiwi, for my 'Dogs on the Job' book, when I thought... You know kids would want to hear how kiwi are being saved in New Zealand too.

When I started to research for the book I realised that the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust played a huge part in helping the different kiwi helpers like Auckland Zoo and Department Conservation do their job. I phoned Michelle Impey at the BNZ and told her what I planned to do. She was excited and quickly got permission for me to use the Operation Nest Egg name for the book.

She became a great help in getting me into places like the zoo and Kiwi Encounter.

I couldn't have written it without the help of the Kiwi Encounter girls either. They were very generous with their time and photographs. Being right on the scene they took some fabulous photographs of kiwi chicks - one of them made it on the front cover.

I can't leave out the blokes: Andrew Nelson let me see the kiwi eggs and chicks at Auckland Zoo, Pete Graham took me out in his ute to show me some of the kiwi nesting sites and Rogan Colbourne – well he's the dog handler (and the founder of the whole concept) who gave me the idea for the book.