Miami Zoo Miami has apologized for a video of New Zealand’s national bird, the stressed kiwi

The Miami Zoo (Florida) has publicly apologized for a controversial viral video of a kiwi, New Zealand’s national bird, being trained in front of lights and cameras during a meeting with the public, leading to an intervention by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris. Hipkins.

“First, on behalf of everyone at Zoo Miami, please accept our deepest and most sincere apologies for the stress caused by the social media video showing the handling and whereabouts of ‘Pyora,’ the kiwi bird currently in our care,” the company wrote in a statement.

Zoo Miami’s first kiwi, “Pyora”, was criticized on social media yesterday after a video showed her being petted by many during the day despite being a nocturnal animal.

The video is part of the zoo’s “Kiwi Encounter” program, where visitors can get up close and personal with the bird.

This paleognathus bird is made up of five species native to New Zealand. They are small flightless birds, about the size of a chicken.

Local 10 television in South Florida pointed out Wednesday, citing New Zealand media, that since 2020 public visits to “Paora” have occurred 4 times a week, for about 10 or 15 minutes.

New Zealand’s Ministry of Defense states on its website that the kiwi bird is the country’s unofficial national symbol and “national symbol”. There are only 70,000 wild specimens left, he adds.

Speaking to New Zealand media, the country’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the zoo’s apology showed they “take it seriously”.

“We work with local zoos to provide guidance on how to properly care for kiwis. That’s what they did yesterday, and the zoo has picked up on it quickly,” Hipkins said.

Speaking to New Zealand outlet 1 News, Ron Magill, director of communications for Zoo Miami, said today he was “embarrassed on behalf of everyone at the zoo”.

“My deepest and most sincere apologies. We made a mistake. No apologies,” Magill said.

In the report, the Florida agency, which is home to more than 2,500 animals representing nearly 400 different species, warned that despite the misfortune, “Piora” is generally “out of public view in a quiet area.”

“Zoo Miami is very privileged to be the first facility in the state of Florida to successfully hatch a kiwi in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park,” he said.

“We are delighted to see it growing healthy in our care, and we are committed to providing the best possible environment while honoring and respecting what this extraordinary bird stands for (…),” the statement said.

Regarding the “Kiwi Encounter” project, Zoo Miami admitted that “the national identities of this iconic animal and what it represents to the people of New Zealand, particularly Maori, have not been well thought through.”

According to The Capital Kiwi Project, a New Zealand NGO responsible for protecting the species, “The kiwi is our symbol and the center of our identity. Our culture.”