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  Bindi Wildlife Adventures 12: Mission Climate Change

  ePub ISBN 9781742743004

  Kindle ISBN 9781742743011

  To my Fin, with love – CK

  A Random House book

  Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd

  Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060

  www.randomhouse.com.au

  First published by Random House Australia in 2011

  Copyright © Australia Zoo 2011

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia.

  Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be

  found at www.randomhouse.com.au/offices.

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry

  Author: Irwin, Bindi, 1998–

  Title: Mission climate change / Bindi Irwin, Chris Kunz

  ISBN: 978 1 86471 857 7 (pbk.)

  Series: Irwin, Bindi, 1998–Bindi wildlife adventures; 12.

  Target Audience: For primary school age

  Subjects: Climatic changes–Juvenile fiction

  Other Authors/Contributors: Kunz, Chris

  Dewey Number: A823.4

  Cover photograph © Australia Zoo

  Cover and internal design by Christabella Designs

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Imprint Page

  Dear Diary

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Animal Fact File

  Ten top Tips to Combat Climate Change

  Bindi Books

  Become a Wildlife Warrior!

  ‘Oh my gosh, it’s going to be soooo awesome,’ said Bindi. She was jumping around her room, a phone attached to her ear. She listened to the response, and then giggled. ‘I know. It’s so far away, and it’s going to be so cold. I can hardly wait!’

  Bindi was talking to one of her best friends, an American girl called Kelly, whom she’d recently been on a surfing holiday with. But they weren’t planning a surf-ari this time.

  Bindi’s bedroom was surprisingly tidy, and a big suitcase on the floor next to her bookcase was jammed full of warm wintery clothes. Spike the echidna was snuffling around the suitcase, feeling a little left out of all the excitement.

  A ‘ping’ came from the laptop on Bindi’s desk.

  ‘Hang on, Kelly, I’ve just got an email from DJ. I’ve told you about him, remember? He’s my Aboriginal friend from Darwin? We got lost at Kakadu last time we saw each other. You’re gonna love him. He’s as crazy as you are!’ she giggled again. A series of beeps came through the earpiece and Bindi said, ‘Oh, just a tick, there’s a call on the other line. Okay, mate, really looking forward to seeing you soon. Have a great flight. See yaaaa …’

  Bindi switched to the other call. ‘Hello, Bindi speaking.’ After a moment, she squealed with excitement and started bouncing on her bed. ‘Hannah, how are you?’ Hannah was another of Bindi’s good friends. She lived in South Africa and her family ran a fantastic horse-trekking business. Last time Bindi had visited they’d gone for a horse trek, and ended up helping to shut down an illegal hunting reserve.

  Spike the echidna snuffled again and tried to look his cutest. Bindi didn’t notice. Normally he received a lot more affection when he came to visit, but today he could have been a ball of fluff for all the interest Bindi was taking in him. He was thinking it was time he sauntered back to his enclosure and found a few hundred ants to snack on, when he was surprised by yet another squeal from his human friend. Enough was enough! He scuttled towards the bedroom door, nudged it open and headed out to the garden.

  ‘Bye, Spike,’ said Bindi as she saw him leave. ‘Sorry about the noise.’ But seconds later she was once again absorbed in her phone conversation.

  ‘Yeah. We’re leaving later this afternoon and meeting DJ at the airport.’ She stopped bouncing for a moment and nodded as Hannah spoke. ‘I’ve done my research, and Madi – you know, he’s the friend I made when I visited Sumatra? The one whose dad now works as part of a tiger protection unit after we helped catch some tiger poachers? Well, he’s flying out with us and is due to arrive here –’ she checked her watch – ‘any moment!’

  She heard a knock at the front door. ‘That’ll be him. Better get off the phone. We are going to rock this climate change conference, Hannah. Without a doubt!’ Bindi gave another squeal. She couldn’t wait!

  ‘Welcome to Helsinki!’

  A day later, Bindi, Robert, Terri, DJ and Madi stumbled out of the arrivals gate at Helsinki airport, carrying their luggage. They had left behind a balmy southern hemisphere summer and arrived in a very chilly, snowy, Nordic winter. Kelly had travelled by herself from Oregon in the US, and Hannah and her mum, Kirsten, had flown to Helsinki from Cape Town. Although Hannah’s flight was not as long as her friend’s, the change in temperature was just as extreme!

  Professor Fredrik Tikkanen gathered up the bleary-eyed travellers and their luggage, and led them out to the vehicles that would take them north to Kuhmo, a small town near the Russian border, which was hosting the conference.

  ‘So how do you know the professor, Bindi?’ asked Madi as they walked towards the terminal exit.

  ‘He toured around Australia earlier this year, and dropped into Australia Zoo on his way through,’ answered Bindi. ‘He spoke to us about the climate change conference he was organising, and asked whether we wanted to take part.’

  Madi smiled. ‘And of course you said –’

  ‘YES, and here we all are,’ finished off Bindi.

  ‘It’s awesome,’ said DJ, trying to stop his teeth from chattering.

  Kelly was already talking to the professor about his university work. He was a lecturer in environmental science, and extremely passionate about conservation and wildlife. She shared his enthusiasm, and was interested in studying marine biology, so they hit it off immediately. Taking in his thick woollen coat, black-rimmed glasses and blond beard, Kelly thought he looked exactly like a professor should!

  As the group left the airport terminal, snowflakes were falling lightly. Madi, who had never seen snow before, was mesmerised. ‘Everything is so white!’ he exclaimed.

  ‘Yes,’ agreed the professor, taking a look around. ‘For months of the year, Finland is a snow-covered paradise.’

  DJ muttered under his breath, ‘I’m pretty sure paradise is warmer than
this.’

  Hannah and Kelly giggled their agreement. Although everyone had wrapped up warm in layers of coats, hats and scarves, they couldn’t help but shiver.

  ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be in Kuhmo in a shake of a lamb’s tail,’ the professor said optimistically. Terri, Kirsten, Hannah, DJ and Kelly jumped into a large station wagon, which was driven by Alek, a neighbour of Fredrik’s.

  The professor then led Madi, Bindi and Robert over to a sleek black Audi. Once inside, the car’s heater starting blowing out warm air and the children began to relax.

  Madi turned to Bindi. ‘How long is a shake of a lamb’s tail?’ he asked.

  Professor Tikkanen overheard the question. ‘Ah, in this case, a little under eight hours,’ he answered, ‘as long as the snowfall doesn’t get any heavier. It’s been coming down quite heavily for the past week, but it’s due to lessen within the next day or two.’

  Madi looked out the car window, eyes wide. ‘I can’t believe I’m in Finland, with real snow!’

  ‘It’s a long way from Sumatra, and a long way from Australia, that’s for sure!’ Bindi said. ‘I’m so glad you were able to take part in the conference.’

  Madi looked serious. ‘So am I. I don’t want my island home to disappear because of rising sea levels. We need to take action on climate change to stop it from happening.’

  Professor Tikkanen took the motorway turn-off, beginning the trip north. ‘And that is why we’ve invited children from all over the world to this conference,’ he said with enthusiasm. ‘It will be the first time that we’ll have a truly global perspective on climate change from the younger generation. It will be wonderful!’

  The landscape of Finland was very different to Madi’s homeland. Professor Tikkanen explained that the country had over 187,000 lakes, and a population of around 5.2 million people.

  ‘Now that we’ve left the city, the countryside looks like a big national park,’ observed Madi.

  Professor Tikkanen nodded. ‘We certainly have a lot of trees,’ he said. ‘But Finland is one of the world’s biggest producers of pulp and paper products, which means we cut down a lot of them too.’

  Bindi had researched this a little. ‘Yes, but I’ve read that Finland also has 35 national parks and 12 wilderness areas that are protected by law.’

  The professor smiled. ‘That’s true. And we are now one of the world leaders in using bioenergy, which means we use renewable resources, namely wood, to do things like generate heat and electricity, instead of using fuels that require destructive mining and will one day run out. This is something I will be talking about at the conference. But there is much more to do and discuss with the international community. Even locally, in my small village, there are people who don’t believe the changes we are seeing in the world today are caused by humans.’

  Robert, who must have drifted off to sleep, began murmuring, ‘Northern Corroboree Frog … Sunset Frog … Yellow-bellied Frog … White-bellied Frog … Spotted Frog …’

  Madi turned to Bindi. ‘What’s he saying?’

  Bindi smiled proudly at her snoozing brother. ‘He’s listing the different types of frogs that may become extinct in Australia if the country keeps getting hotter and drier.’

  Madi was impressed. Robert was so committed to the cause he was thinking about it even while he slept!

  Worn out by their long plane trip, all three children eventually drifted off to sleep. Professor Tikkanen woke them a few hours later, once they’d arrived at his home. The sun had set hours ago, but Bindi could make out Alek’s station wagon parked in the driveway.

  The professor led his guests into the large farmhouse. The children were surprised by how beautiful its high beamed ceilings and wooden interior were; they felt as if they had entered a grand old concert hall. With the snow outside, and the crackling fire inside, Bindi, Robert and Madi could feel in their bones that they were a long way from home.

  Kelly and Hannah were already curled up on the sofa, chatting away like old friends.

  Terri gave her kids a quick hug. ‘How are you feeling?’

  ‘Tip-top terrific!’ said Bindi. ‘Ready to take on the world.’

  Terri smiled. ‘That’s my girl!’

  The housekeeper, a plump and cheerful woman called Elina, was passing around cups of hot chocolate and a light supper of something she called Karelian pasties, which were delicious and filling. After the meal, Professor Tikkanen explained that the adults would be sleeping in the main house, and the kids would stay in their own separate guesthouse.

  ‘Awesome! It’s just like a school camp,’ said DJ.

  The professor gathered up the children and their belongings, and was opening the door out of the kitchen, when the phone in the hallway rang. ‘Ah, kids, I better get that. If you would just follow the path up to the guesthouse. The door’s open, and there are bunk beds aplenty.’ He went back to grab the phone, and the kids scampered up the path towards the guesthouse.

  Bindi opened the door, but inside was pitch black. ‘Where’s the light switch, I wonder?’ she said, feeling around the doorframe.

  ‘Did anyone bring a torch?’ asked Hannah. DJ and Robert were behind them, shivering. ‘Hurry up, guys, let’s get inside.’

  Kelly bounded ahead into the darkened house, full of her usual positivity. ‘How great is it that we’re all here. It’s going to be totally fantastic …’

  All of a sudden there was a screech, followed by a menacing growl.

  Everyone froze.

  ‘What was that?’ yelled DJ, as he pushed his way into the room.

  Bindi finally found a light switch further along the wall, and turned it on … to find Kelly sprawled on the floor with two dark-furred, sharp-toothed creatures walking around her, sniffing.

  ‘Oh my gosh, wild … What are they? Wolves? Small bears? Is Kelly about to get eaten?’ asked Hannah, starting to hyperventilate.

  Kelly was not impressed. ‘Hannah, I can still hear you. I’m being stalked by two scary creatures, but my ears are working fine!’

  Hannah felt awful. ‘Sorry, Kelly, I’m just … ah, nervous … for you,’ she replied meekly.

  Kelly grimaced. ‘Okay, thanks, I guess. Can someone help me out here?’

  Bindi edged closer to the two creatures. ‘Kelly, stay still. They’re not behaving like they want to attack,’ she said reassuringly. ‘Are you hurt?’

  ‘No. But I tripped over one of them, thinking it was a furry coffee table.’ DJ let out a squawk of laughter. Both the creatures turned away from Kelly to stare at DJ. He backed out of the room. ‘Sorry, guys, didn’t mean anything by that noise. Ignore me.’

  Bindi crouched down a little way from the creatures. They slinked slowly away from Kelly and towards Bindi.

  Kelly moved a little. ‘Phew, that’s better. Those guys have bad breath!’

  Robert was concerned for his sister. ‘Do you know what you’re doing, B?’ he asked, ready to intervene if need be.

  Bindi shook her head gently. ‘Not really, but they seem quite –’

  She was interrupted by the slam of the front door. Everyone jumped a mile in the air, and the two creatures bounded towards the entrance.

  Professor Tikkanen looked a little harassed, but when he saw the animals, his frown disappeared and was replaced by a big smile. Kelly scrambled to her feet.

  The creatures were winding their way in and out of the professor’s legs like house cats. ‘Well then, you’ve met my babies,’ he said affectionately, and bent down to pat them.

  Madi wasn’t sure what to make of the situation. ‘What are they?’ he asked.

  Professor looked around the room at the children’s faces. No-one had a clue. ‘These two little balls of mischief are wolverines, Madi,’ he explained. ‘Seppo and Sophie, brother and sister.’

  ‘Wow, wolverines! I’ve never seen one before,’ said Bindi. ‘I didn’t know they were so friendly.’

  The professor gave the animals another pat. ‘Well, they’re not normally. These tw
o I saved from a brown bear attack when they were young kits. Their mother was killed in the attack, and these little guys wouldn’t have survived without some human intervention. They’ve been part of the family ever since.’

  Robert was intrigued. ‘They’re carnivores, right?’

  Professor Tikkanen nodded. ‘Yes, and they’re actually part of the weasel family. Nothing to do with wolves or bears. In the wild they are excellent scavengers, but these two are very well fed, so as long as I deliver their meals on time, everyone’s happy.’

  The expression on his face darkened. ‘I’m afraid I need to pop out for a while. Something to sort out before tomorrow.’

  Bindi noticed the free-spirited professor now looked quite stressed.

  He continued. ‘But I’ll see you bright and early for breakfast before the conference tomorrow morning. Okay? Hei.’ He gave a distracted wave and walked up the path, forgetting to shut the door.

  Madi shivered and rushed to close it. ‘I’m taking a while to get used to this cold climate,’ he said, jumping up and down to keep warm.

  Seppo and Sophie the wolverines sniffed around the guests, and decided they were acceptable roommates. They both jumped on one of the sofas in the lounge room, and curled up into a sleeping, two-headed ball.

  The kids found their rooms, chose their beds and brought in their luggage. Just as Bindi was about to suggest they go over their speeches before bed, DJ decided it was time for a stand-up comedy routine.

  ‘Hey, what do reindeer say before telling you a joke?’ he asked.

  Kelly answered with a grin. ‘This one will sleigh you.’

  ‘And where do you find reindeer in Finland?’ asked DJ.

  Kelly responded a second later. ‘It depends on where you leave them.’