We can all probably use a bit of levity in our lives right now, and you can’t get more absurdly silly than John Oliver in an elaborate bird costume, in his words “interfering” in an election: New Zealand’s contest for “Bird of the Century.”
His choice, the water bird pūteketeke, did in fact win, and in a landslide. “After all, this is what democracy is all about,” Oliver said about his campaign. “America interfering in foreign elections.”
The campaign was international, with a “The Lord of the Wings” billboard in New Zealand’s capital of Wellington billboards in Paris, Tokyo, London, and Mumbai. He even had a plane fly over Ipanema Beach in Brazil, trailing a campaign banner.
New Zealanders took it all in good-humored stride, with New Zealand’s incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon getting in on the fun.
Not everyone was thrilled. “I did feel a bit gutted to see that it is getting so much backing, but it is awesome for conservation,” said Daniel Cocker. He was the official campaign manager for the southern New Zealand dotterel, or tūturiwhatu. He’s also a biodiversity ranger with the department of conservation for New Zealand, and in that capacity, appreciated all the attention. “[I]t’s really cool” that Oliver is “letting the world know how beautiful and special birdlife we’ve got here and why they deserve to be protected.”
“It’s been pretty crazy, in the best possible way,” said Nicola Toki, the director of the conservation group Forest and Bird, which sponsored the contest. “If you think about the wildlife in New Zealand, we don’t have lions and tigers and bears. … We have this intangible and extraordinarily powerful connection to our wildlife and our birds.” She also noted that more than 80% of the country’s native birds are on the threatened species list. And now more people know that.
See? Silly and important!
