US Reality Show Contestant Kills, Eats Protected Bird in New Zealand

A reality show contestant who killed and ate a protected bird has been let off with a warning after New Zealand wildlife officials acknowledged that the cast members were tired, hungry, and in a "unique" situation, CNN reported.

Spencer "Corry" Jones, an American white water river guide, killed and ate the large, flightless weka during the filming of "Race to Survive: New Zealand" last fall, as reported by CNN affiliate RNZ on Tuesday.

The weka, listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species, is protected in mainland New Zealand. The penalty for killing one includes up to two years in prison or a fine of nearly $60,000.

"Race to Survive" challenges nine teams of two contestants to race across 150 miles of New Zealand's rugged terrain, finding their own food and water, and competing for a $500,000 prize, according to USA Network, which airs the show.

In a clip from the show, Jones apologizes, acknowledging he knew eating the weka was illegal, but he was desperate and hungry, RNZ reported. Jones and his teammate Oliver Dev were disqualified after the incident. 

Following an investigation, New Zealand's Department of Conservation issued written warnings to Jones and the show's producers, stopping short of tougher action. Dylan Swain, the department's team lead for investigations, stated that the unique circumstances cast members suffering from significant hunger in an unusual group dynamic warranted a warning letter.

"Nonetheless, killing and eating a native protected species is unacceptable, and the company is 'on notice' regarding the need for program participants to adhere to conservation legislation," Swain said.

The weka, known for its "famously feisty and curious" personality and its loud "coo-et" call presented as a duet, is protected in mainland New Zealand, with penalties for killing one including up to two years in prison or a fine of nearly $60,000. While once widespread, weka populations now fluctuate depending on food conditions, leading to their legal protection. Harvesting weka is legal on some of the country's surrounding islands.

Swain noted that the producers of "Race to Survive" had a permit to film on public conservation land and were aware that protected species and plants could not be harvested or eaten.

In a statement, "Race to Survive" production said it alerted authorities as soon as they became aware of the weka incident. "Contestants were thoroughly briefed ahead of time and reminded throughout the competition of all of New Zealand's wildlife rules and guidelines," the statement said. "It was determined that a contestant did violate a rule, so appropriate action was taken, and the team was disqualified from the competition."

Jones and Dev were favoured to win before they were pulled off the course, according to USA Network.

New Zealand's unique flora and fauna, resulting from its long geological isolation from the supercontinent Gondwana, are often defenceless against attack due to the absence of mammalian predators, including flightless birds like the weka, according to independent conservation organization Forest and Bird.