Taylor Swift Accused Of Endangering Rare Birds
Taylor Swift has been accused of endangering a rare bird species by flouting filming restrictions while shooting a music video in New Zealand.
The Bad Blood singer's production company was given permission to film at Bethells Beach near Auckland, home to the critically-endangered New Zealand dotterel.
But conservationists claim the crew failed to follow rules limiting them to two vehicles on the sand - instead using up to a dozen vans and 4x4s.
New Zealand's Department of Conservation says there are around 1,700 dotterels left in New Zealand and warns that their nests on beaches are "easily destroyed by careless feet, dogs and off-road vehicles".
Waitakere Ranges Local Board chair Sandra Coney told Sky News: "There are restrictions on the number of vehicles and what they can do when they're on the beach.
"So this particular filming company was given permission for two vehicles, which is what they asked for, but considerably more vehicles actually went onto the beach.
"And we don't know yet whether they followed the rules, which are that they shouldn't be going more than 10kph and they should have a spotter in front of any vehicle that's moving on the beach."
Ms Coney said she would ask Auckland Council to investigate the 25-year-old star and her crew.
She said: "I certainly don't think we're going to shake it off because the part of the Auckland Council that is responsible for giving film permits will be getting in touch with the film company and having a conversation with them and I don't know what will follow from that."
The film company, Cherokee Films, issued an apology and absolved Swift of responsibility over the incident.
"As the local film production company ... we accept responsibility and apologise for this situation," the company said.
"Taylor Swift and her management team were in no way at fault and did not do anything that violated permits or ordinances."
The company said it had followed guidelines issued by the authorities and had stayed away from dotterel habitats during the shoot.
The statement added: "In acknowledgement of the concern this has added to those in charge of protecting local dotterel population Cherokee Films will make a donation to the breeding program as we support your concerns."
Bethells Beach is regularly used for filming and featured in Jane Campion's Oscar-winning film The Piano, starring Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin.
In 2013, a Mad Max-style ad for Samsung featured a stampede of elves, Maori warriors and chariots on the sand.
