New Zealand Bats - Pekapeka

Bats are New Zealand's only native land mammal.

New Zealand's Greater short-tailed bat

Greater short-tailed bats are thought to be extinct, last seen April 1965. The lesser short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata and long-tailed bat Chalinolobus turerculatus are both classified as threatened.

New Zealand's Lesser short-tailed bat

New Zealand's lesser short-tailed bat has a relationship with the rare plant, woodrose (pua reinga) and as the bats move around eating the nectar - they pollinate the woodrose - pua o te reinga - Dactylanthus taylorii . New Zealand lesser short-tailed bats are the woodrose's only pollinator and are the last surviving species in the Mystacina genus of bat. Another unique relationship our lesser short-tailed bat has is with the New Zealand bat-fly, which is completely dependant on its host - the lesser short-tailed bat. It is of concern that according to Morris and Balance (2008) a recent survey found no long-tailed bats in 13 of 15 locations that it had been found in the early 1990s. The lesser short-tailed bat has no tail, is larger and less often seen as it comes out well after dark.

New Zealand's Long-tailed bat

The long-tailed bat as seen in the video below, when adult, weighs 7 -10 grams and has a wingspan of about 260mm. Their diet includes insects & nectar. The long-tailed bat is sometimes referred to as the fantail of the night due to the similar unpredictable flight pattern.

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Below: A baby long-tailed bat that was found by the Department of Conservation staff - and released soon after.