The Department of Conservation raised concerns about how Paora the kiwi was being handled at the zoo. Photo: Twitter / Miami Zoo
Last that was seen of Paora the kiwi, a nocturnal resident at Miami Zoo, is that he had been swiftly shielded from the public eye following concerns that he was being mishandled.
Six months on from the incident, ground is about to be broken on his new habitat - which has had some input from NZ organisations.
Concerns were raised by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and others in late May after social media videos showed the native New Zealand bird, being displayed to guests of Zoo Miami under bright strip lighting. Visitors are shown handling the kiwi - giving it head scratches as it sits on a table.
The day after, Zoo Miami goodwill ambassador Ron Magill apologised for 'offending the nation of New Zealand' and said the encounter had been scrapped.
Speaking to Stuff half a year on from the incident, Magill said Paora was thriving and enjoying a relaxed life in his secluded area away from the public.
"Other than eliminating any public contact and fluorescent lighting from his habitat, his care remains the same as it has proven to keep him quite healthy."
Construction on the new habitat had not begun, he said, but the designs and plans had been completed and approved, with work set to begin in January.
Construction would take around six months, with Paora moving in not long after that - around Fall (September) 2024, he said.
A special event was being planned for the opening, where NZ representatives, such as Save the Kiwi executive director Michelle Impey, would be able to attend, Magill said.
Save the Kiwi was one of the organisations asked to provide feedback on the habitat plans.
Renovation plans, given to Stuff, show the Florida zoo will be changing one of its exhibit areas in the Aviary Temple from a gift shop to a kiwi exhibit.
The documents show that the exhibit will have laminated glass, with a 20 percent VLT black tint - which would reduce light in the enclosure by 80 percent.
Inside Paora's new home, the new lighting system will have adjustable brightness, with the ability to change light colour down to red (2200k), which kiwi could not see.
The ground for the enclosure will be filled with deep soil and then covered with leaf litter.
Paora will also have access to a small pool, which will be around six inches deep.
- This story was first published by Stuff