Uncovering Raglan’s Bats
Hidden No More!
For many locals, the idea of bats flitting through their backyards at night seemed far-fetched. “I was a bit sceptical when you said you wanted to put a bat monitor on my property,” laughed one landowner in Te Uku. “I had no idea we even had bats here!” That same landowner was delighted when the results came in: long-tailed bats (pekapeka-tou-roa) had been detected, proving that these secretive, endangered mammals are still clinging on in our region.
Surveying the Local Bat Population
In February, the Karioi Project’s bat ecologist, Georgia, led a significant survey effort, deploying 40 acoustic bat monitors across the landscape for three weeks. These specialized devices detect high-frequency echolocation calls, capturing data beyond the range of human hearing (20 kHz to 150 kHz). The monitors provide crucial insights into their distribution and habitat use by recording bat activity, aiding conservation efforts.
Local Tumanako, as seen here, is deploying acoustic bat monitors around Karioi as part of his DOC bat certification.
The most bat activity recorded was concentrated around Te Mata, where Georgia suspects a colony may be roosting in the remaining kahikatea patches in the valley that drains the Kauri and Okete streams. Further detections occurred across the wider landscape, and even at the very top of Karioi!
Some landowners who participated in the survey were surprised, first that their properties were even considered for monitoring (thanks to the random placement of the monitors that are part of the study's design), and then by the discovery that bats were actively using these areas. “I was skeptical at first, but now I’m delighted to know we have bats here,” said another landowner. “It makes me think more seriously about what I can do to look after my property”
Why Are Bats at Risk?
New Zealand’s native long-tailed bat is endangered due to habitat loss, human activity, climate change and predators like cats, rats, and stoats.
Considered “threatened - nationally critical,” they are only one step away from extinction, along with kākāpo and matuku-hūrepo. Now is the time to help them.
What Can You Do to Help?
Protecting bats starts with protecting their habitat. Here’s how you can help:
Join the Backyard Hub – If you’re not yet trapping at home, get started! Trapping in your backyard can significantly reduce predator numbers and help protect bats. Find out more at Backyard Trapping in Raglan.
Volunteer for Predator Control – Join our team of conservation volunteers who work to reduce threats to native wildlife. Find out more at volunteer — Karioi Project
Protect Old Trees – Mature trees, particularly those with hollows, provide essential roosting sites for bats. If you have these trees on your property, consider ways to protect and enhance their surroundings.
Create Bat-Friendly Gardens – Bats rely on insects for food, so planting native trees and shrubs that attract moths and other insects can help sustain bat populations.
Our recent surveys have reinforced the importance of looking after our remaining natural spaces. Knowing that long-tailed bats are still present in the area is both exciting and motivating—these tiny creatures are part of our shared natural heritage, and with the right efforts, we can help ensure they remain a part of Raglan’s ecosystem for generations to come!
Cool fact about bats!
Aotearoa is home to some unique bat species, with a fascinating place in the country's biodiversity. Bats are the only native land mammals in te motu.
Long-tailed bat: Found across the mainland, including here in Whāingaroa and major urban areas, as well as on several offshore islands. They are classified as ‘nationally critical.’
Lesser short-tailed bat: An ancient species found only in New Zealand. Compared to long-tailed bats, they have a limited distribution, being primarily associated with large tracts of mature indigenous forest. Along with vampire bats, they are the only bats in the world that can use their wings to walk on the ground. - therefore sSpending considerable time hunting on the forest floor, making them particularly vulnerable to predators.
Greater short-tailed bat: The last confirmed sighting was over 50 years ago, suggesting it is likely extinct.
More on the long-tailed bat, or pekapake-tau-roa, found locally!
Endemic to New Zealand: Long-tailed bats are found only in New Zealand, making them a truly unique part of the country’s wildlife.
Nocturnal Flyers: They are nocturnal, and they have exceptional echolocation abilities, allowing them to navigate and hunt for insects in the dark.
Small but Mighty: Their body is comparable to the size of a human thumb with a wingspan of about 25 cm. Despite their size, they’re agile fliers and can travel long distances, sometimes up to 10 km in one night while foraging.
Diet: They feed on a variety of insects, including mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and flies. Their diet changes with the seasons, depending on what insects are most abundant. By controlling insect populations, they play an important role in our ecosystem, making them vital to the environment!
Social Creatures: Long-tailed bats live in colonies, and they often roost together in tree hollows, caves, or under the bark of trees during the day.
Breeding Season: Their delayed pregnancy begins in late spring with a single pup born around December. Mothers carry their pups to a new communal nursery roost each night where pups huddle together for warmth while the mothers are out foraging until they can fly at 4-6 weeks.
Flight Adaptations: Long-tailed bats have specialized wing membranes that allow them to fly with higher manoeuvrability than most birds, but they wouldn’t win competitions against some other bat species. They are great at hunting insects along the edges of forests but, unlike the short-tailed bats, they struggle in the sub-canopy of dense forest environments.
