A US zoo has apologised after sparking a diplomatic incident with footage of a young kiwi being handled by excited visitors under bright lights.
The video, posted to TikTok by Miami Zoo earlier this week, sparked fury from New Zealanders.
It showed the flightless NZ native bird, known as Paora, surrounded by visitors as he sat on a table under bright lights, despite kiwis being nocturnal.
“He loves being pet, he’s like a little dog and he loves his head being pet,” a keeper could be heard saying.
The footage sparked a storm of social media fury from the other side of the world.
“The treatment of this poor kiwi at Miami Zoo is appalling. I’m so mad about this. It’s being kept awake during the day despite being a nocturnal species. When it runs to hide in a dark box, they open the lid. It’s so upsetting to see taonga (treasure) treated like this,” Kiwi Twitter user Holly Neill wrote.
Tweet from @HollyNeillNZ
“Wow this is bleak: Straight-up abuse of an endangered species that is nocturnal and reclusive,” wrote historian Andre Brett.
“The zoo even has the gall to brag about it on here as if it’s all g.”
Another person pointed out that, in New Zealand, seeing kiwis in captivity is possible only in specialised dark, quiet enclosures. The public is never allowed to handle them.
“This video makes me feel a bit uncomfortable,” they wrote.
“Even kiwis don’t touch kiwis. This offends me so much. Bring our kiwi home! Hands off America!” wrote another.
Other outraged NZers called for the embassy to intervene. They also wanted the country’s NZ-based conservation authorities to organise Paora’s repatriation to his native country.
An online petition to condemn the “mistreatment” quickly garnered thousands of signatures.
Department of Conservation spokeswoman Hilary Aikman said concerns would be raised with Miami Zoo.
“Kiwi are a taonga species and are treasured by all New Zealanders,” Ms Aikman said.
“The protection and welfare of kiwi is a high priority.”
Late on Tuesday (Australian time), Miami Zoo responded, issuing a profuse apology.
“We regret the unintentional stress caused by a video on social media depicting the handling of Paora, the kiwi bird currently housed within Zoo Miami,” communications director Ron Magill told New Zealand media.
“We have offended a nation”.
The zoo has also immediately cancelled its $US24 ($39) “kiwi encounter”.
“When I saw the video myself I said we have made a huge mistake here,” Mr Magill said.
“I am so sorry. I am so remorseful. Someone asked how would you feel if we did that to your bald eagle, and you’re 100 per cent right.
“I never want to come across as making excuses, I am here to apologise … to everyone. I feel profoundly terrible about this.”
On the positive side, young Paora – the only kiwi at Miami Zoo – is reportedly thriving.
“He eats like he’s on a spa day every day and he’s doing well. It doesn’t excuse what he was subjected to. But I promise it will never happen again,” Mr Magill said.
“We should have known better.
”We were really not sensitive to the fact that this bird is a national symbol, that it is an icon, it is a spiritual animal.”
Paora was sent to Miami as an egg in 2019 as part of an agreement between the Smithsonian National Zoo and the New Zealand government.
Unfortunately, however, for those who wanted Paora shipped home to New Zealand, he is deemed a biosecurity risk so must stay in the US.
