A U.S. zoo has apologized after video showing a kiwi named Paora being handled by humans sparked outrage in New Zealand, where the species is the national bird.

The protests began after video footage of so-called “kiwi encounters” at Zoo Miami were posted on social media, showing the flightless bird being handled by visitors and kept awake by artificial lighting.

Wildlife photographer Holly Neill, who posted a video showing clips of the encounters, said it was “appalling” to see a kiwi treated this way.

“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,” she wrote.

“For US$23.36, Miami Zoo will let you disrupt a nocturnal, endangered kiwi by forcing it into artificial lighting and allow you to touch it. I’m so upset about the welfare of this kiwi.”

The birds, which once numbered around 12 million in New Zealand, have seen their population plummet to just 68,000, according to the Save the Kiwi charity, and conservation efforts have raised awareness of their vulnerability.

Before long, an online petition to “Help save this mistreated kiwi” had gathered thousands of signatures.

“He has been tamed and is subjected to bright fluorescent lighting four days a week, being handled by dozens of strangers, petted on his sensitive whiskers, laughed at, and shown off like a toy,” the petition reads.

“Kiwi is a nocturnal animal, who should be kept in suitable dark enclosures, and minimally handled. The best practice manual for kiwi states that they shouldn’t be handled often or taken out of their burrow to be held by the public,” it continues.

The controversy even drew the attention of the New Zealand government’s Department of Conservation, which tweeted that it would “be discussing the situation with the American Association of Zoos & Aquariums to address some of the housing and handling concerns raised.”

Following the backlash, Zoo Miami released a statement apologizing for the “handling and housing” of Paora.

The concerns raised “have been taken very seriously and as a result, effective immediately, the Kiwi Encounter will no longer be offered,” the statement reads.

“Again, we are deeply sorry,” it added, before outlining the changes it would make to improve the situation.

“Plans are presently underway to build a special habitat for him that will continue to provide him with the shelter that he needs while respecting and supporting his natural instincts,” the zoo said.

New Zealanders are famously protective of the birds, with the New Zealand Department of Conservation launching a conservation effort known as the Kiwi Recovery Plan in 1991.

(SD-Agencies)

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【夜行的】

yèxíng de

nocturnal

active at night

【脆弱】

cuìruò

vulnerability

the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed

因为上传了一段人类抚摸一只叫宝拉的几维鸟的视频，美国一家动物园被迫道歉，几维鸟是新西兰的国鸟，该视频在新西兰引发了愤怒。

人们抗议迈阿密动物园在社交媒体上发布的“遇见几维鸟”视频片段；这只不会飞的鸟被游客抚摸，在灯光下被迫保持清醒。

野生动物摄影师霍莉•尼尔发布了视频片段，他说看到几维鸟被这样对待“令人震惊”。

她说：“这只夜行动物被迫在白天保持清醒。当它试图跑开躲进一个黑暗的盒子里时，人们却打开盒盖。”

“只要花23.36美元，迈阿密动物园就让你打扰濒临灭绝的夜行动物几维鸟，用灯光照着它，并允许你触摸它。我很担心这只鸟的福祉。”

根据拯救几维鸟慈善机构的数据，这种鸟在新西兰曾经有大约1200万只，其数量已骤降至68000只，人们近来认识到了它的脆弱。

很快，一份“救救这只被虐的几维鸟”的在线请愿书就收集了数千个签名。

请愿书写道：“它被驯服了，每周四天受到明亮的荧光灯照射，被数十个陌生人抚摸，他们触碰它敏感的胡须，嘲笑它，它像玩具一样被展示。”

“几维鸟是夜行动物，应该呆在黑暗围栏里，并尽量减少人类接触。几维鸟喂养手册指出，不应该经常逗弄它们，把它们从洞穴中赶出来展示给公众。”

新西兰政府动植物保护部也对该事件表示关注，并在推特上表示，将“与美国动物园和水族馆协会讨论该事件，解决几维鸟受到不当对待的问题”。

迈阿密动物园随后发表声明，为宝拉“受到的抚摸和它的不宜居环境”道歉。

声明中写道，提出的关切“已得到非常认真的对待，立即停止‘遇见几维鸟’项目”。声明说：“我们深感抱歉”，并列出了详细的整改措施。

动物园说：“目前正计划为它建一个特殊的栖息场所，提供所需的庇护，尊重它的自然本能。”

新西兰人特别重视这种鸟的保育，动植物保护部于1991年启动了 “几维鸟恢复计划”。