The Southland Times

Critically endangered long-tailed bat found in new spot

- Denise Piper

The discovery of New Zealand’s smallest mammal in a new spot in Whanga¯rei is being treated by a big deal by biodiversi­ty specialist­s, as it could mean the animals are not as endangered as first thought.

The long-tailed bat has been recorded in Ta¯ ika Forest/Mount Tiger as part of an inventory of species and biodiversi­ty values of the area.

The bat, pekapeka tou roa, is classified as nationally critical, which means it is facing an immediate to high risk of extinction. But the discovery means the long-tailed bat might be more widespread than first thought and likely means there will be more in people’s backyards, Northland Regional Council biodiversi­ty advisor Loren Carr said.

The 520ha Ta¯ika Forest is owned by the council and includes large old trees where the bats love to roost, such as totara, puriri, kauri and old pine, she said.

‘‘It goes to show if you can manage to keep some large residents of bush, there’s no reason why [the bats] can’t be there.’’

The bats are tiny – weighing about as much as two AAA batteries – making them vulnerable to predators like cats and stoats, Carr said. In Northland sites like Ta¯ ika Forest, predator control is already in place to help North Island brown kiwi, which are flourishin­g so well they are no longer classified as endangered.

Carr hoped to see the same happen for the long-tail bats. She described them as ‘‘fuzzy and cute’’. Their popularity had increased since winning the 2021 Bird of the Year title and people were beginning to understand they didn’t get stuck in your hair or suck on blood like a vampire, she said. For Ma¯ ori, the bats were considered an ancient creature and were known as the pets of Hinenui-te-po¯ , the goddess of the night, council and predator-free cultural advisor Winiwini Kingi said.

The discovery of the bats in Ta¯ika Forest was good news for local hapu¯ Te Kahu o Torongare and Nga¯ti Tu, he said. ‘‘They’ve come a long way; our tı¯puna knew that they were here as well. It’s amazing that they’ve come this far down the generation­s, with all the developmen­t and everything changing around them.’’

 ?? ?? Long-tailed bats, pekapeka tou roa, are about the size of an adult thumb and catch insects on the wing by using their tail like a net.
Long-tailed bats, pekapeka tou roa, are about the size of an adult thumb and catch insects on the wing by using their tail like a net.

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