Meet Alidin, a cheerful and curious boy who lives in a cozy, friendly village nestled right beside the wonderful Lore Lindu National Park! This amazing park is in a special place called Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, and it's full of beautiful trees and unique animals. Alidin's dad is a hardworking farmer who grows special plants, like rattan, which is used to make strong and pretty furniture. Every day, Alidin gets to see a little piece of nature's magic right outside his door.

Alidin is a super smart boy, always eager to learn new things, and he has a smile that makes everyone happy! His teacher and all his friends at school truly like him because he is very kind, always sharing and helping others. He listens carefully to his teachers and works hard, which makes him learn well and understand many new ideas. He’s known for his helpful heart and his bright, inquisitive mind, making him a favorite in the classroom and on the playground.

Because he lives so, so close to the magnificent Lore Lindu National Park, Alidin knows a lot about the special and sometimes very rare animals that call this beautiful place home. He knows all about the cute babirusa, which are like funny pig-deer with unique tusks, and the tiny tarsier, which is the smallest monkey in the whole wide world, with its big, curious eyes! Alidin feels very lucky to live near such incredible creatures and learns new facts about them every day.

There are other special and unique animals in the park too, like the anoa, which is a small wild buffalo. But out of all the amazing animals, Alidin's absolute favorite is the wonderful Maleo bird! It's a truly remarkable bird that lives only in a few special places. He's only seen a real, live Maleo bird at a special breeding center right there in his village, where people help protect them. He's only seen pictures of other very rare animals in exciting books and interesting newspapers, which makes seeing a Maleo bird in person extra special.

Maleo birds are very unique and quite different from other birds! Most birds sit on their eggs to keep them warm until they hatch, but Maleo birds have a secret way. They bury their big, precious eggs deep in the warm ground, often in sandy or volcanic areas where the earth is naturally warm. Then, the eggs get warm from the sun or the earth, and they hatch all by themselves, without their mommy or daddy bird needing to sit on them or help them out of the shell. It's truly a natural wonder!

But this special way of laying eggs makes the Maleo eggs a little bit unsafe and fragile. Sometimes, other animals like hungry lizards or curious monkeys might find them and try to eat them. And sadly, sometimes even people, who don't know how special these eggs are, might find them and take them away. This is why it's very hard for many Maleo babies to hatch and grow up safely into big, strong birds. The Maleo birds are considered endangered, which means there are not many left in the world.

Alidin loves Maleo birds very, very much and wants to help them grow and thrive! When school is out and he has free time, he and his kind friends go on a special search deep in the forest. They look very carefully to find the hidden Maleo eggs. They know that by finding these eggs, they can help protect the baby birds inside, giving them a better chance to live. It's like a real-life treasure hunt for conservation!

Maleo eggs are super big, much bigger than regular chicken eggs! They can be as large as a grown-up's hand! But even though they are big, they are tricky to find because they are hidden very well underground, covered by sand or dirt. So, finding even just one Maleo egg makes the children jump with joy and excitement! They know each egg they find is a new chance for a baby Maleo bird to be born and help its family grow. It's like finding a precious gem!

After finding the special eggs, Alidin and his friends carefully take them to the Maleo bird breeding center in their village. This center is like a safe and cozy nursery for the eggs. Here, kind grown-ups watch over the eggs, making sure they stay warm and protected from anything that might harm them. This helps keep the eggs very safe so that more baby Maleo birds can hatch from their shells and grow big and strong, ready to fly free in the beautiful national park!

Alidin also loves to draw and paint pictures of Maleo birds, just like his wise and artistic grandfather taught him. His beautiful, colorful paintings show the unique birds with their interesting shapes and vibrant feathers. These lovely paintings hang on the school walls for everyone to see, helping all the other students and grown-ups learn how important it is to protect these amazing birds and their special habitat. Alidin uses his art to spread an important message of conservation and love for nature!