Lesser short-tailed bat
Image: Colin O'Donnell | DOC

Bats/pekapeka

Introduction

Bats are New Zealand's only native land mammals

There are two species of bats in New Zealand: the long-tailed bat and the lesser short-tailed bat.

The long-tailed bat is classed as ‘Nationally Critical’ and short-tailed bat subspecies range from ‘Nationally Vulnerable’ to ‘Recovering’. But they are in danger of extinction if we don't protect them. 

Māori folklore refer to bats as pekapeka and associate them with the mythical, night-flying bird, hōkioi, which foretells death or disaster.

Video

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