Reality TV Stars Booted for Killing and Eating Protected Bird on ‘Race to Survive: New Zealand’

A pair of reality contestants who are currently taking part in a shoot in New Zealand could see more trouble than the elimination they’ve already suffered. According to the New Zealand Herald, a pair of contestants on Race to Survive: New Zealand were kicked off the show and face potentially stiff penalties from the country’s Department of Conservation.

Spencer ‘Corry’ Jones and Oliver Dev, a pair of whitewater river guides from Wyoming, competed against nine teams to earn a sweet $500k prize but ended up disqualified in episode 8 of the USA Network series after they “disrespected New Zealand” by eating a flightless Weka. The bird is classified as a vulnerable species and the country began executing their recovery plan in 1999.

It is a feisty creature and one that is admired by Maori people due to its curiousity and ease of capture. According to the trusty Wikipedia entry, they would eat the birds, turn them to perfume and oils. Settlers even started to call them “bush hens,” which might lend to their status.

“It is difficult to be in a place where you’re so desperate and hungry and there’s creatures running around camp that you’re not allowed to eat. You get into that mindset of starvation mode and this slowing down of your cognition,” Jones said. “I knew it was breaking a rule, but that’s not important when you’re hungry. I apologize and it doesn’t sit lightly with me.”

He later admitted he made a mistake, calling the decision short-sighted. ” It was foolish, but the competition is very real and the difficulty of this is real. Survival in the bush of New Zealand isn’t easy,” he added. “We did have strategies in place for the racing, but we didn’t prepare for the hunger.”

According to Stuff, a Reddit AMA with someone claiming to be connected to the competition revealed that while all camps had different rules, some were very clear. “The rules were a little different at each survival camp. But generally, you can’t touch native birds no matter what. Canadian geese (sic) are ok but no other birds,” they wrote.

Jones and Dev avoided a serious penalty from the incident, but were disqualified. A typical penalty for killing protected wildlife in New Zealand is up to two years in prison and a $100,000 fine. They avoided, only receiving written warnings.

“The unique set of circumstances – cast members were fatigued and suffering from significant hunger, in an unusual group dynamic situation…meant we felt a warning letter was prudent.” the DOC wrote.