On 28 February, Air New Zealand released its latest safety video, "The Southern Buzzard Flight Safety Journey", which focuses on New Zealand's biodiversity crisis and tells the story of jelly girl Jenny, with the help of Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Department of Environmental Protection, escorting the lost South Buzzard to a suitable habitat.
The safety video was launched by Air New Zealand in collaboration with the New Zealand Department of The Environment, after eight years of collaboration.
Since 2012, Air New Zealand has escorted more than 3,200 endangered species to safe habitats, funded the construction of more than 38,000 hectares of predator control areas, and strongly supported marine scientific research projects within New Zealand's marine protected areas.
The safety video is starring film and television rising star Lily Roeback and CGI technology-produced Southern Buzzard Mr.T. Nicola Toki, New Zealand's Department of Environmental Protection Ambassador for Endangered Species Conservation, ranger Jerry Henry Finch, Air New Zealand crew Danielle Griffioen, Henry McIntyre, Shelly Pretorius, Jordan Young and the children of the airline staff co-starred.
Flight attendants and safety videos feature in Fiordland National Park
<h2>The Southern Buzzard was once thought to be extinct</h2>
The flightless South Buzzard is currently the largest species of buzzard in the world, extinct in new Zealand's North Island and currently distributed only in New Zealand's South Island.
The southern buzzard has a hard beak and strong legs that are red, with dark blue feathers extending from the head and neck to the chest, peacock blue feathers on the shoulders, turquoise and olive green on the wings and back. Their wings are only used to show or express their aggression during courtship. The average weight of the southern buzzard can reach 2.5-3 kg.
The picture shows the Southern Buzzard, image source: New Zealand Department of Environmental Protection
Hunting by humans and carnivores, habitat destruction, and pressure to compete for food led to a sharp decline in the southern buzzard population. In 1948, nearly 50 years after it was thought to have gone extinct, scientist Geoffrey Orbell and his team rediscovered the southern buzzard on Murchison Hill, next to Lake Te Anau on New Zealand's South Island.
The Southern Buzzard has a special significance for the Maori tribal groups in new Zealand's South Island, both on a traditional and spiritual level. They see the Southern Buzzard as a treasure and act as their guardian, working with the New Zealand Department of Conservation to protect this precious species.
In the more than 70 years since it was rediscovered, in order to ensure that it is no longer endangered, a series of conservation measures have been taken, including the development of new conservation methods, captive breeding, island migration and wild release.
Thanks to the efforts of New Zealanders, the number of southern buzzards reached 300 in 2016; in 2017, on the List of Endangered Species in New Zealand, the level of southern buzzards was downgraded from "endangered" to "at risk of extinction"; in 2018, Air New Zealand chartered 18 southern buzzards from Ti Anau to a new habitat in Kahulangi National Park, establishing a wild population of southern buzzards outside the original site for the first time in more than 100 years; and in 2019, the total number of southern buzzards in New Zealand exceeded 400.
<h2>Attention is called for attention to the biodiversity crisis</h2>
Jodi Williams, Managing Director of Global Branding and Content Marketing at Air New Zealand, said: "This lighthearted and fun video is an important and profound message – that native birds need our help. It is therefore fitting to call attention to New Zealand's biodiversity crisis through our well-publicized and popular safety video. We are very proud to be working with the New Zealand Ministry of Conservation to contribute to nature conservation, and we hope that everyone can feel the meaning behind the story while enjoying this joyful and warm video. ”
Nicola Torch, Ambassador for Endangered Species Conservation at the Department of Conservation of the Environment Department of New Zealand, added, "The crisis of new Zealand's biodiversity is a topic of global concern and the rate of extinction of many species is accelerating. Since humans set foot on New Zealand soil, we have lost 50 species of birds and as many as 25 million native birds are hunted and killed each year. Protecting our native natural environment is a huge challenge, but there are things that all New Zealanders and businesses can do to protect nature and wildlife. We are delighted to be working with Air New Zealand on this safety video. Native species are part of New Zealanders and it is vital to protect them. ”
It is reported that from now on, this safety video will be played on all Air New Zealand flights.