Athol

This kea was caught and banded at Monkey Creek in August 2019. He is named after Athol Whimp who was widely regarded as the most accomplished alpinist in New Zealand’s modern era. He is the country’s only recipient of the prestigious Piolet d’Or international award for mountaineering. He was in the NZ SAS and following his career there he climbed extensively in NZ, Australia and the Himalaya. On the 23rd February 2012, Athol died from a fall while traversing non-technical terrain above Homer Tunnel in the Darran Mountains.