Peter Fowler of Hapua didn't realise long-tailed bats were in the area until his cat brought home this deceased specimen.
A feline gift of a dead bat has led to the discovery of a new colony and inspired a Hawke’s Bay guardian to become “a voice for the bats”.
Pekapeka-tou-roa, commonly known as the long-tailed bat, is one of New Zealand’s only two native land mammals.
This small bat, no larger than a thumb, can fly at speeds of up to 60km/h in total darkness, and in 2021, it notably won New Zealand’s Bird of the Year award.
Like many endemic species, long-tailed bats are long-lived animals that breed slowly, producing only one pup a year.
Being nocturnal insectivores, they feed on a variety of insects, including pest species.
Their reliance on specific roosting trees, however, makes them particularly vulnerable to habitat loss caused by vegetation clearance and tree felling.
A significant discovery was recently made at Hāpua, a Tuki Tuki Valley property offering boutique accommodation in Hawke’s Bay, where these critically threatened mammals were found.
Peter Fowler, the kaitiaki (guardian) of Hāpua for the past 25 years, became aware of their presence only after his cat brought home a deceased bat.
Fowler emphasised that the cat had not killed the bat.
“The Department of Conservation has examined the bat and believes it was already dead when found.
”The discovery highlights the immense value of the remaining forest and bush pockets that still survive in the valley,” he said,
He described these areas as “the last strongholds for a species that might otherwise have been lost”.
Far from the mythical image of blood-sucking creatures, New Zealand’s native bats are gentle, social mammals.
They prefer to roost in cracks and holes in large native trees, but also use suitable small and exotic trees.
Following the discovery, Fowler contacted Mark Roper of The Bat Co. Lab in Havelock North.
As part of the NZ National Bat Survey he established, Roper and volunteers are deploying and servicing bat detectors within a 25km radius of Te Mata Peak, Hawke’s Bay.
He said this has led to the identification of a previously unknown bat colony several kilometres west of Hāpua in a native forest remnant.
Fowler also acknowledged the support of neighbouring landowners, including the Anglican Church Pension Fund, which permitted bat detectors to be placed within a stand of 300-year-old trees that were protected during production forest harvest operations.
Ultrasonic recorders supplied by The Bat Co. Lab in Havelock North have since confirmed bat activity at Hāpua, capturing multiple nightly passes (often in the hundreds), and many echolocation calls - feeding “buzzes” and social interactions - each night.
Across Hawke’s Bay, about 70 volunteers assist with detector placement, data collection, and data uploading.
These volunteers include community groups, high school students, grandparents working alongside grandchildren, schools and local families.
In addition to Hāpua, Roper has recently identified 25 previously unknown sites within a 25 km radius of Te Mata Peak where pekapeka‑tou‑roa are either roosting or actively using the habitat.
“The Bat Co. Lab currently has 107 volunteers nationwide,” Roper said.
“We hope that more groups already involved in bush-related conservation projects will join us in placing recorders and gathering data.
“Expanding volunteer involvement will allow for faster data collection and more accurate habitat mapping.”
Fowler reflected on the history of Hāpua, noting that there was no record of bats when the previous owner, Jon Williams, grew up on the property in the 1930s and 40s.
“These bats are extremely difficult to relocate,” he said.
“Their habitat is often destroyed for development or intensive farming.
“I need to be a voice for the bats.”
Hāpua contains remnants of native bush with a diverse range of indigenous tree species, and Fowler’s vision is to expand this habitat.
The property already supports species such as the New Zealand falcon, long-finned eel, New Zealand dabchick (weweia), kererū, tūī, barn owl and fantail.
“Finding the bats is only the first step,” Fowler said.
“The goal now is to ensure that Hāpua remains a stronghold for the pekapeka-tou-roa for the next 25 years and well into the future.”
Find out more about The Bat Co. Lab here.