How a Miami Zoo managed to enrage the entire country of New Zealand

Zoo Miami has enraged thousands of New Zealanders due to the treatment of a Kiwi bird named Paora, which was filmed being petted by visitors under a bright light.

The New Zealander's anger resulted in a petition signed by 9,000, according to The Guardian, asking for an intervention.

NBC News recounted some of the commentaries of New Zealanders in the video, calling the behavior "upsetting" since Kiwi birds are wild and nocturnal species that should not be petted or held under the light.

The Zoo quickly issued a statement apologizing to New Zealanders. According to The Guardian, spokesperson Ron Magill said the Zoo had "made a huge mistake."

Image: Zoo Miami / Twitter

In a statement, the establishment also promised to cancel their "Kiwi Encounter," which gave visitors access to the bird for $25, as reported by NBC News.

The New Zealand Conservation Department reacted to the public requests and promised it would be "discussing the situation with the American Association of Zoos & Aquariums."

According to the New York Times, environmentalist activist and Maori leader Paora Haitana, the bird's namesake, also complained about the treatment.

The controversy even reached prime minister Chris Hipkins, who said he acknowledged that the Zoo had taken the complaints seriously and thanked them.

According to The Guardian, Pāora was hatched in the US as part of a breeding program. It was flown to Miami from Washington.

These programs are part of what The New York Times has called 'New Zealand Kiwi-diplomacy,' as the bird has played a role in the country's international relations.

Image: Smithsonian's National Zoo (2010) / Kiwi Handover Ceremony

The newspaper explains that the birds have a small but symbolic relevance. In the picture, New Zealand consul general in LA John Mataira is blessing two Kiwis delivered to the US in the Maori tradition.

Image: Smithsonian's National Zoo (2010) / Kiwi Handover Ceremony

Off course, the gift comes with conservational and symbolic conditions, the NY Times reported, especially regarding the Maori's traditions, like sending back the fallen feathers as "taonga" (treasure).

Another condition is that any deceased Kiwi bird has to be repatriated to New Zealand for burial.

New Zealand is not the only country that uses animals in its diplomatic relations, Nancy Cushing, a researcher at the University of Newcastle in Australia, told The New York Times.

A famous example is China's Panda-diplomacy, the practice of sending giant pandas to other countries as a tool of diplomacy, first as gifts and then as concessions.

"It amplifies the power on both sides and cements the relationship between the rulers or governments," Cushing explained.

However, the researcher also explained that it can go wrong, as can any other diplomatic gesture. Especially if the recipient does not care for the animal as expected.