Look at nature through new eyes. Take time to explore your relationship with nature and enjoy its benefits – connecting with nature is good for us. Papatūānuku’s wellbeing is our wellbeing.
Did you know Pukenui forest is home to one of our only native mammals? If you’re going for a walk in Pukenui as the sun goes down and you’re very quiet and look closely, you might spot some native long tailed pekapeka waking up and catching some kai.
Bats might seem spooky, but our native bats are not like the ones you might see on TV. They are very small, weighing only 8-12 grams, that’s about the same as a pencil! They generally don’t live in caves, but roost in cavities of old trees instead. Our bats eat mostly insects, but also flowers, leaves and fruits, in fact – Dactylanthus a unique New Zealand plant is only pollinated by NZ short tailed bats. Long-tailed bats are also very fast and can fly at 60 kilometres per hour!
Long-tailed bats aren’t doing so well in the wild and are ranked as ‘nationally critical’. Predation by introduced animals such as cats, possums, rats, and stoats and forest clearance are large contributors to this.
Some ways you can help our bats include protecting native forests from felling - especially old trees which have the best bat roosts, and volunteering with local community groups carrying out pest control or start trapping pests in your backyard! Learn more about Pekapeka here: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/bats-pekapeka/
Remember to always stick to tracks while walking to stop the spread of kauri dieback.