Were the bird of the year elections hacked?

The yellow-eyed penguin is New Zealand's bird of the year. He has outrun the kakapo, also known as owl parrot, just before the target. But disproportionately many votes come from Russia, the New Zealanders find. This fuels the rumor mill: Was the choice influenced?

Familie von Gelbaugenpinguinen Megadyptes antipodes Source: Wiki Creative Commons