An American contestant on a reality TV show is under fire for killing — and eating — a large flightless bird that is protected in mainland New Zealand, an offense that can lead to up to two years in prison or a significant fine.Spencer “Corry” Jones, who lives in Wyoming, was taking part on “Race to Survive: New Zealand” in October last year when he killed and ate the weka, a bird that has become extinct over large tracts of the mainland. Killing a weka can led to a penalty of up to 100,000 New Zealand dollars, or $59,000.Following an investigation, the country’s Department of Conservation issued Jones and the production team with a written warning instead, noting the “unique set of circumstances” of the show.In the show, which runs on USA Network, nine pairs of contestants navigate 150 miles of harsh terrain in a bid to win $500,000. Competitors must find their own food and water while also racing to the finish line.“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,” Dylan Swain from the New Zealand Department of Conservation’s investigations team said in an emailed statement Wednesday.“Nonetheless, killing and eating a native protected species in this matter is unacceptable and the company is ‘on notice’ about the need for its program participants to adhere to conservation legislation.”“I made a mistake,” Jones said in a clip shared by USA Network after he and his teammate were disqualified from the show. “It was shortsighted. … It was foolish. But the competition is very real. The difficulty of this is real, and survival in the bush in New Zealand is not easy.”“I knew it was breaking a rule, but that’s not important when you’re hungry,” he continued, noting that it was “difficult to be in a place where you’re so desperate and hungry …. and there’s creatures running around camp that we’re not allowed to eat.”The weka is native to New Zealand and has “a famously feisty and curious personality,” according to the country’s Department of Conservation, which says the bird’s “populations are subject to large fluctuations.”They are “charismatic birds that are often attracted to human activity,” according to New Zealand Birds Online, a digital encyclopedia of the nation’s birds. But those who live near them “often have a less charitable opinion, as they have to live with ever-watchful weka snatching opportunities to raid vegetable gardens, pilfer poultry food and eggs, and even steal dog food from the bowl,” it said.Most native species are protected by law in New Zealand and it is illegal to hunt them. There are four subspecies of weka, only one of which is considered to not be threatened, according to the Department of Conservation.Jones apologized for his actions on the show, adding that “it doesn’t sit lightly with me.”“What I did disrespected New Zealand and I’m sorry.”