Gillian has extensive experience (19 years) working with both long-tailed and short-tailed bats, and completed a PhD on short-tailed bat conservation management in 2019. She has previously set up and run bat monitoring programmes for DOC and Forest and Bird, and has considerable experience planning, organising and delivering field work for threatened species biodiversity programmes in New Zealand. She is experienced at radio-tracking and acoustic surveys, and has the required competencies from DOC to capture and handle bats. She is also an authorised trainer, qualified to train others in bat monitoring techniques, and has 10 years of experience doing so. Since June 2023 she has been assisting SWI Bat Group in a voluntary capacity with advice, funding applications, and a Wildlife Permit application. She is passionate about bat conservation, and enjoys sharing her knowledge and working with local communities to make it happen.
Pekapeka-tou-roa | long-tailed bats are ranked as ‘Nationally Critical’ under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. They were once widespread and abundant throughout New Zealand but are now absent from many locations. Primary threats include predation by and competition with introduced mammals (e.g. stoats, rats and possums), loss, degradation and fragmentation of roosting and foraging habitats, and potential impacts from increasing rural infrastructure developments for green energy production. High rates of decline (>70%) are predicted for populations that persist in modified landscapes where predators are inadequately managed and habitat loss and modification is ongoing.
From the surveys already completed, here’s some interesting findings:
In 2020 Sustainable Wairarapa Inc. was awarded a Department of Conservation (DOC) grant to purchase 10 AR4 acoustic recorders for bird and bat surveys in Rewa Bush and on some private land (by invitation) from Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre to Carterton. Initial bat surveys at Rewa Bush Conservation Area showed considerable long-tailed bat | pekapeka-tou-roa activity, and the SWI Bat Group was launched. The AR4s are now used almost exclusively for bat surveys.
Wairarapa had never been systematically surveyed for long-tailed bats | pekapeka-tou-roa (Chalinolobus tuberculatus), so in 2021, Sustainable Wairarapa teamed up with Friends of Rewa Bush to undertake a survey of the region for both long- and short-tailed bats. So far they have detected bat activity in over half of the locations surveyed; both in bush fragments and in the main ranges, on private and public land.
The monitors are able to detect flight activity, but not the number of animals. Sometimes only one or two flights are identified during the survey period. Sometimes there over 1000 flights identified. This might be a crude measurement of where the animals are forming collective roosts. For example, it is thought that the females form nursery roosts when they are pregnant, perhaps because a resource such as food or water is present in significant amounts in a particular location, perhaps so that the offspring can be cared for collectively. Long-tailed bats change roost trees often and can travel up to 25 km per night from the roost looking for food, which they catch on the wing.
Whereas the short-tailed bat is restricted to larger areas of virgin forest, long-tailed bat activity can be identified in the sky above farmland, pine forest and native forest fragments. Long-tailed bats and can travel up to 25 km per night from the roost looking for food which they catch on the wing (Figure 2). Locations where there is ongoing predator control, proximity to the bush covered ranges, and big old trees that could potentially be roost sites are perfect for detection of pekapeka-tou-roa activity.
The group has confirmed consistent long-tailed bat activity in the Eastern Wairarapa Hills (in and around Rewa Bush), in the central valley (Lowes/Allen Bush, Trenair Bush) and in certain parts of the Tararua foothills (Carterton/Masterton area). In some cases there is historical anecdotal or confirmed evidence of bats in the location and in other cases there is no previous information.
The primary goal of the Bat Group is to protect any existing populations of long-tailed bats in the Wairarapa. These fragmented populations are almost certainly extremely vulnerable to threats from predators, habitat destruction etc. The Group works towards this goal by collecting and sharing information about local bat presence and activity, promoting further specialised research where appropriate, and working with other groups and organisations to support initiatives to protect and enhance biodiversity. The Group also works to build capacity in pekapeka monitoring field skills with mana whenua and other community members.
A member of the Bat Group attended the 2023 National Bat Conference in Hamilton, and gave a short presentation about the Group’s activities.
The Bat Group consists of a small core group of volunteers who are involved with most of the group’s activities, plus a wide range of people from the local community who either attend individual activities (e.g. putting out AR4s) or are simply interested in receiving updates about the group’s activities and discoveries.
The project is part of a wider SWI initiative to establish a clearer picture of the biodiversity in the Wairarapa and follows on from bird, bug, and lizard monitoring.
So that opens up a tantalising possibility…might there be bats in your local bit of bush? Should there be?
Anyone who would like to volunteer for bat monitoring adventures, or who thinks they have bats on their property, can contact swibats@outlook.com
Surveys at Lowes/Allen Bush Scenic Reserve (conducted in conjunction with DOC Masterton) have detected significant bat activity. This reserve is a small (49 ha) but ecologically important remnant of kahikatea swamp forest, representative of the once extensive podocarp swamp forests of the Wairarapa Plains. The remnant lies between two rural townships, Masterton and Carterton, and is isolated from the extensive native forest of Tararua Forest Park to the west, and large native forest remnants to the east, by a mosaic of farmland, vineyards and commercial forestry plantations.
The level of bat activity detected at the reserve suggests that this small remnant could be an important roosting and foraging site for the bats, particularly during their summer breeding season. Lowes/Allen Bush and its taonga species (pekapeka and others) are also significant in a wider context – helping to build greater understanding of the place of pekapeka in the Wairarapa and specifically within Te Ao Māori, and greater understanding of the value placed upon pekapeka by iwi, hapū, and whānau.
Resource consent was recently given for construction of a solar farm on farmland adjacent to Lowes/Allen Bush Scenic Reserve. The proposed site lies directly between the reserve and another small native remnant on private land (Trenair Bush) where bat activity has also been detected. The effects of such a development on our bats is unknown, but recent overseas studies suggest that they could be negatively impacted. For example, some bat species avoid solar farms (both fields and nearby forest edges) built at sites where they used to commute and/or forage, effectively causing further loss and fragmentation of their habitats. Anthropogenic activity associated with such facilities can also disturb roosts in the vicinity.
Monitoring is required to collect information about the bat population and the bats’ use of the landscape that will guide the establishment of appropriate management (such as predator control, habitat restoration, improvement of waterway health, and restoring landscape connectivity with corridors) to protect the bats and their habitat, and to inform mitigation measures around the solar farm development. Information about population size via emergence counts conducted at dusk, demographics (age, sex, breeding status) and survival rates (once sufficient data has been collected) will provide a baseline for monitoring population trends in following years.
The project runs during the bats’ breeding season (early January to late February). Earlier in the summer, bats congregate in maternity roosts and give birth to young. By January, the young (now ‘juveniles’) can fly and are almost independent, but are still distinguishable from adults. Breeding and non-breeding roost sites of a long-tailed bat colony may occupy an area of several hundred to more than 1000 ha (10 km2), while the collective foraging range of a colony may extend over more than 10, 000 ha (100 km2).
The Mangatārere Stream originates in the Tararua Ranges and for approximately 31 km, makes its way through farms on the hill country and Carterton District plains before it reaches its confluence with the Waiohine River, south of Carterton. The stream has several tributaries including Kaipaitangata Stream, Enaki Stream, and Beef Creek.
Monique Leerschool and her husband have been tracking pekapeka | long-tailed bats on their block of land for many years. Monique’s passion for these tiny flying mammals, and her desire to be an advocate on behalf of pekapeka in the Wairarapa is evident when she speaks about them.
During 2024, Monique Leerschool, conducted three acoustic surveys, across five sites in the lower Mangatārere Valley [one in Autumn, one in winter, and one in late spring]. This location was thought more likely to have activity in late autumn/early winter than the upper Mangatārere Valley, as pekapeka would travel down to warmer locations to overwinter. The surveys lasted for 14 nights and despite making do with no budget and equipment overdue for replacement, when Monique and Julia Ryan analysed the data, they found that all five sites had some long-tailed bat activity – from the least active site with only two passes in total, to a whopping 1989 passes [142 per night] at one location; reflecting the availability of a water source and bush cover for roosts. Activity includes foraging and hunting, which pekapeka undertake on the wing. This may explain their preference for locations around waterways where there is increased presence of flying insects and room to manouver unimpeded by bush. The data collected indicates that although pekapeka are nocturnal, they are also slightly crepuscular in their behaviour. This means that although there is activity throughout the night, these small, winged mammals are most active close to sunset and just before dawn. Monique’s survey results also indicate that long-tailed bats are not fond of flying in the cold or during rain. Very little is known about the social behaviour of pekapeka, and Monique’s data could be valuable for setting up further studies.
Her work continues and we look forward to seeing the results of further surveys.