Mary M. Byrd

Mary Byrd was trained in the health care field and spent many years studying alternative, complimentary medicine. Her late husband started a zoo in the Panhandle of Florida. A special pair at the zoo were the orangutan (Tonda) and cat (TK) who were best friends and were featured on the Animal Planet television show and National Geographic media.

Mary felt the story of the unusual friendship between the two despite differences in size, shape, and color was a wonderful example for humans. Children especially benefit from learning about tolerance and inclusiveness early. Mary also wanted to educate children about the endangered status of orangutans. It was important to her to make the book easy to read so that beginning readers would enjoy it. She felt there was a lack of easy to read nature books.

With the assistance of photos provided by Stephanie Willard and others at the zoo and the help of Grateful Steps Publishing in Asheville, NC the book was published.

Mary continues to write with future novels in the works.

TK the cat lives with Stephanie after Tonda the orangutan died of old age.