Hunt to resume for long-tailed bat
An initiative to locate longtailed bats in Hawke’s Bay is to restart this summer.
The project to find where bats that are roosting and breeding was initiated this time last year by the Conservation Project.
Two colonies and more than 40 roosts were found in the area around Puahanui Bush and Gwavas Garden, Tikokino, while another two colonies and more than 30 roosts were discovered in the Ashley Clinton and Makaretu area.
“These are thrilling finds and it may be that the wide-scale possum control in Hawke’s Bay has helped save these colonies,” a Conservation Company spokeswoman said.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and the Conservation Company are joining forces once again to try to find out where else in Hawke’s Bay long-tailed bats are breeding.
The project, funded by HBRC with support from the Department of Conservation and Biodiversity HB, will involve surveys using automatic detectors carried out during summer, when bats are most active.
According to The Conservation Company, the creatures are in serious decline across New Zealand as they’re very vulnerable to pests such as rats, possums and cats.
Long-tailed bats emerge from their daytime roost trees when there is a little bit of daylight left and spend the night travelling along foraging routes, catching mosquitoes, beetles and small moths, drinking water, resting for periods and socialising.
The Conservation Company is calling on people across Hawke’s Bay to contact them if they have seen bats around their property across the last few years.
The company said they may be in unusual places including under a sun umbrella, in your shed or flying after insects.