Chubby babies charm conservationists

By Wati Telabula, Journalism student Fiji National University. 

2 December 2013, Suva Fiji - It's not every day you get to see a baby at a conference which was why the presence of two charming lads at the  9th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas caused a stir at the Vodafone Arena in Suva today.

Charming the pants off conservationists were Colby Flannery and Ki'eli-a-lagi Leqa.

Four-and-a-half month old Colby's father is Australian global warming activist Professor Tim Flannery, who was the keynote speaker on the opening day of the five-day conference.

This is the first conference Colby is attending, according to his mother Kate Holden, and the reaction to her baby has been overwhelming. 

“Colby feels great as he is greeted by people and lovely ladies,” she said.

A shy but charming Colby impressed participants and would respond to them with smiles and giggles while trying to hide his face.

Ki'eli-a-lagi slept in his mother, Penina Solomona's arms, oblivious to the activity around him.

Wati Telabula is a member of the Media Team providing coverage of the 9th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas from 2 to 6 December in Suva, Fiji.  This is a partnership between the Fiji National University (FNU), University of the South Pacific (USP), SPREP and Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) whereby a team of 10 journalism students are mentored by senior reporters as they cover the conference.  This activity is  funded by the Pacific Assistance Media Scheme (PACMAS).