When Tyler Matthews wins a national ecological competition for a place on the NATURE SOUTH Eco tour, he has no idea of where it will lead him. After he travels to the bottom of New Zealand's South Island to join the tour, he meets the other two winners, Hine and the maddening Mandy - and soon finds himself caught in a maze of mystery and adventure. Someone is rustling cattle, and when Tyler finds the mummified remains of a Moa Hunter in a secret cave he also finds an ancient mystery. Who was the dead boy and how did he die - and what is the significance of his bone pendant? With the girls' help he solves both mysteries, both ancient and modern and uncovers the reason why the local dolphins, but only after foiling a dangerous gang of heartless eco-smugglers. In a fast-paced and exciting story, Des Hunt cleverly weaves the past and present together with a fascinating trail of fossils, natural history, ecology and friendly penguins. Ages 9 - 12

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