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The flightless rail was once widespread but is now protected on the mainland.
photo: RNZ/Rebekah Parsons-King
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued a written warning Survival Race: New Zealand After a contestant eats a protected bird.
In this reality show, contestants race against each other over hundreds of kilometers of rugged terrain, carrying only what they can carry.
American whitewater river guide Spencer “Corry” Jones and teammate Oliver Dev were disqualified following the accident.
In a clip from the show, Jones apologized on camera and said the incident was difficult for him to process. He said he was desperate and hungry at the time, but knew he was breaking the rules by doing so.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection said in a statement that it had made it clear to the production company that protected species could not be harvested or eaten. The statement said the company informed the ministry of the incident shortly after it occurred.
Dylan Swain, head of the Department of Conservation’s investigations team, said the company was “mindful” of the need for project participants to comply with conservation rules.
He said the circumstances were unique, the actors were tired and very hungry, and the team atmosphere was unusual, which he said led to the department’s decision to issue the warning letter.
The show airs on the USA Network, and an article on the website said the pair had been disqualified from the competition.
The rail is a native bird of New Zealand and is protected.
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