Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao
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  1. Home
  2. Biodiversity
  3. Bats

Ngā pekepeka

New Zealand long-tailed bats (pekapeka tou roa; Chalinolobus tuberculatus) are found in the Waitākere Ranges and as close as Henderson, but we’re not sure if bats can still be found in Auckland’s inner west.

We’d love to hear from you if think you’ve seen or heard them. Bats feed on moths, midges, and flying insects at dawn and dusk and help with pollination of native species. In fact, bats are a great indicator species as they are sensitive to all sorts of threats:

  • Mammalian predators Reducing the number of rats, stoats and possums really makes life easier for bats. Feral cats are also an issue, and even domestic cats are best kept in from dusk until dawn.
  • Forest fragmentation Bats need forested corridors along which to travel. These should be planned into urban designs.
  • Loss of habitat Bats nest in holes in old trees and like species with loose bark. To encourage bats we need to hang onto old trees, even exotics like gums, willows, macrocarpa and pines.

Detecting bats

One of the best ways to detect bats is to borrow a bat detector from Auckland Council. Bats use echolocation to detect their insect prey, but the frequency is too high for human ears. Bat detectors bring that frequency down to clicks and buzzes we can hear. Email Enable JavaScript to view protected content. or call the main council number (09 301 0101) to organise your free bat detector.

In November and December 2020 Urban Ark ran a series of bat walks. We headed out at dusk on warm evenings following streams and forest margins, focusing on areas where there are mature trees (good for roosts) and fresh water. These we excellent opportunities to listen for rūrū (morepork), spot eels and native fish in the streams, and generally enjoy an evening stroll through some of the bushier parts of the inner west.

Unfortunately, no bats were detected on any of our walks, but we are hopeful that continued efforts to control predators and improve our native vegetation will eventually bring pekapeka back to central Tāmaki Makaurau. We explored:

  • Chamberlain Park fringe along Waitītiko / Meola Creek
  • Western Springs Park and Bullock Track Bush
  • Jaggers Bush and Lower Waitītiko / Meola Creek
  • Oakley Creek / Te Auaunga from the railway to the sea.
  • Auckland Domain
  • Gribblehirst Park

Resources

  • Auckland Council produce and informative Long-Tailed Bat fact sheet (PDF, 3.45 MB).
  • Community Waitākere have a lovely bat poster.
  • Kids Greening Taupo have an excellent bat webpage for our younger pekapeka fans.
  • Friend of Urban Ark and Senior Conservation Advisor at Auckland Council, Ben Paris, is NZ batman. Follow him on Facebook.

In this section

  • Biodiversity
    • Birds
      • Kākā
      • Kākāriki
      • Kererū
      • Korimako / Bellbird
      • Riroriro / Grey Warbler
      • Tōrea / South Island Pied Oystercatcher
      • Ruru / Morepork
      • Tūī
      • White-faced heron
      • Rogues gallery
    • Bats
    • Skinks and geckos
    • Butterflies and moths
    • Invertebrates
    • Taiao / Landscapes
      • Maunga / volcanoes
      • Awa / streams
        • Te Auaunga / Oakley Creek
      • Ngāhere / forests
        • Lava Rock Forests
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© Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao 2025

Photo credits: Bartek Wyptch (grey warbler), Ben Paris (pekapeka)

Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao logo: Glenn Jones

Website by RS

  • Get involved
    • Join a group
      • Wai-a-te-Ao – F&B Bullock Track Restoration Project
      • Friends of Maungawhau
      • Ngā Ringa o Te Auaunga Friends of Oakley Creek
      • Jaggers Bush Restoration Group
      • Kingsland Eco-neighbourhood
      • Weona Lemington Coastal Forest Restoration Group
      • Lower Waitītko groups
      • Maungawhau Ecological Halo
      • Oakley Loop Group
      • Pest Free Gladstone
      • Pest Free Balmoral
      • Pest Free Mt Eden
      • Pest Free Ōwairaka
      • Pest Free Pt Chevalier
      • Pest Free Sandringham
      • Pest Free Waterview
      • Predator Free Grey Lynn
      • Predator Free Herne Bay-Ponsonby
      • Predator Free Morningside / Western Springs
      • Manu Tīoriori I Te Uru / Western Songbird Project
      • Predator Free Westmere / Te Rehu Konihi Kore
      • STEPS
      • Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao
      • Wellpark Streamers
      • Conservation Volunteeers NZ
      • Forest & Bird Balmoral Heights
      • Chamberlain Conservation Group
      • Bluegreens Meola Creek Restoration Project
      • Te Wai Ōrea
      • Tītīkōpuke Habitat Initiative
    • Remove predators
      • Rats
      • Possums
      • Stoats
      • Hedgehogs
      • Wasps
    • Remove weeds
    • Plant natives
    • Make your garden native-friendly
    • Education
      • Te Wai Ōrea Education Programme
      • Schools Engagement Programme
    • Become a trustee
    • Other ways you can help
  • Biodiversity
    • Birds
      • Kākā
      • Kākāriki
      • Kererū
      • Korimako / Bellbird
      • Riroriro / Grey Warbler
      • Tōrea / South Island Pied Oystercatcher
      • Ruru / Morepork
      • Tūī
      • White-faced heron
      • Rogues gallery
    • Bats
    • Skinks and geckos
    • Butterflies and moths
    • Invertebrates
    • Taiao / Landscapes
      • Maunga / volcanoes
      • Awa / streams
        • Te Auaunga / Oakley Creek
      • Ngāhere / forests
        • Lava Rock Forests
  • Resources
    • Maps of trapping activity in our area
    • How to trap
      • Trapping rats
        • Advanced rat trapping tips
        • Avoiding catching birds
      • Trapping possums
      • Trapping stoats
      • ANFA pulsing
      • Recording your trapping activity
    • The Workshop
      • Making trap tunnels
      • Rat-proof your compost
      • Build a wētā hotel
      • Nest boxes for ruru
    • Tool library
    • Promotional resources
    • Pest monitoring
      • Chew cards
      • Wax tags
      • Tracking tunnels
    • Being a good citizen
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Businesses
    • Health & Safety
    • Policies
  • News
  • Events
  • About us
    • Our vision
    • Our plan
    • Our partners and supporters
  • Contact
  • Support us