Linda Fellowes invites children into the world of the Cape parrot with her new book “Russ the High Flyer”.
The story follows Russ, a real species found only in South Africa, and uses his character to help young readers understand the importance of caring for the country’s forests and wildlife.
Russ is introduced in the book as “very social, very loud and a devoted dad”.
The Cape parrot holds a special place in South Africa’s natural heritage. It is the nation’s only endemic parrot, marked by feathers in the national colours green and gold, and was crowned Bird of the Year in 2023.
But the species faces serious pressure. Fellowes explained that “there are only about one thousand Cape Parrots left in the wild,” spread across the indigenous forests of the Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal, with a small pandemonium of about one hundred and fifty in Limpopo.
The threats to the species are clear.
Historical yellowwood logging, ongoing deforestation and environmental decline have stripped away much of the forest habitat that the birds rely on.
Fellowes said, “The Yellowwood seeds are vital for their feathers and their beaks. Without the forests, they simply cannot survive.”
“Russ the High Flyer” follows Russ, a Cape Parrot who sets out on a journey across South Africa to teach young readers about his species and the forests they depend on.
Illegal capture adds further danger.
“I cannot bear the idea of caging birds,” she said. “Of all creatures to cage, the one that flies. Why would anyone do that?” Many parrots are taken from the wild and sold, leaving families disrupted and populations reduced.
The Cape Parrot Project, founded by Dr Steve Boyes, has been working to protect the species by restoring its habitat. Fellowes described it as “a reforestation project driven by people who care deeply about saving these birds.”
The work includes clearing invasive plants and planting thousands of yellowwoods and other native trees. She noted that “when we protect the Cape Parrot, we protect the entire mist belt forest and the many species that depend on it.”
Fellowes’ involvement with the story grew from a direct request from the Cape Parrot Project. She recalled, “I was approached to write a children’s book about the plight of the Cape Parrot. I did not even know we had one.
“I began reading about them and watching videos, and the more I learned, the more I felt this was a story I had to tell.”
Her research took her to Hogsback, where she spent several days with the conservation team.
“I walked in the forests, collected seeds, watched the parrots, heard the parrots and visited the nurseries,” she said. “They have planted more than seventy-five thousand trees. It is an impressive achievement.”
“Russ the High Flyer” joins a body of work that Fellowes has built over eighteen years. She has written eight titles that explore themes of wildlife protection and human impact on the environment. They include stories about penguins affected by an oil spill, baboons navigating fire-damaged land, shark migration, rhino protection, wetlands recovery, rescued elephants and a lion brought from Ukraine to South Africa.
“We are lucky to have so many wildlife heroes in this country,” she said. “It is nice to be able to tell their stories.”
Fellowes hopes her books help children recognise familiar places and feel connected to the natural world.
“I want them to see something and say, Mum, that is my lighthouse,” she said. Her message to young readers is simple. “We cannot all change the world, but each of us can make a difference. Plant a tree. Reuse what you have. And never cage a bird or harm wildlife. Every action matters.”
Alice in WonderlandThis festive season, Cape Town audiences are invited to tumble down the rabbit hole with Cape Town City Ballet’s magical new production of "Alice in Wonderland," choreographed by the internationally acclaimed Gerard Charles.Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s timeless stories, the ballet is bursting with colour, imagination and the kind of whimsy that makes you forget the real world for a while.At its heart, "Alice in Wonderland" is all about […]
