Survival show disqualification after contestant eats protected bird

A participant in a television programme killed and ate a weka bird. He said he did it knowingly because he and his friend did not prepare for hunger. According to media reports, the contestant and his teammate were disqualified from the programme.

According to media reports, a participant in the American survival reality show Race to Survive killed and ate a protected bird in New Zealand during filming. As reported by the BBC, participants in the programme must largely hunt for food. The second series was being filmed in New Zealand.

As reported by Radio New Zealand, participant Spencer "Corry" Jones was aware that he was breaking the rules by killing and eating the bird. In the recording, he can be seen apologising, saying he made a foolish mistake. He added that he and his friend "did not prepare for hunger."

He killed a flightless weka bird, a fully protected species that has become extinct in large areas of New Zealand.

"What I did disrespected New Zealand, and I’m sorry," the participant said. Jones and his teammate Oliver Dev were disqualified in the eighth episode of the programme.

A representative of the American production company Original Productions alerted the Department of Conservation in New Zealand shortly after the incident.

As reported by the BBC, officials investigated and issued written warnings to the company and the participant. The authorities considered the extraordinary dynamic situation in the group, such as the fatigue and substantial hunger of the cast members, which may have influenced their decisions.

"Killing and eating a native protected species in this matter is unacceptable, and the company is ‘on notice’ about the need for its programme participants to adhere to conservation legislation," said Dylan Swain, lead investigator in the department.

The weka is a large flightless bird known for its aggressive and curious personality. Unfortunately, this species has become extinct in large areas of New Zealand due to changing climate conditions and the increasing number of predators. It can be legally hunted on some islands in the country, but it is a protected species under the Wildlife Act of 1953.

According to this act, the maximum penalty for harming the bird can be two years in prison or a fine of €58,000. Protecting this species is extremely important because the weka plays a significant role in New Zealand's ecosystem.