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1263 days ago

Bex Jackson introduced Plimmerton Rotary to Bats

Rhondda Sweetman from Plimmerton Rotary

Bex Jackson is the daughter of club member Ann Scannell, and a field worker with DoC in Te Anau, where she has lived for some time. She has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in zoology and conservation.

Among other things, Bex is involved with a project studying New Zealand’s native bats. She gave us a well-illustrated account of the work, which is centred on Eglinton, in Fjordland.

In New Zealand, bats are geographically widespread but rather rare, and inconspicuous. There are two species, long and short tailed, and their behaviour is quite different.

The long-tailed bat is more common, it lives in small colonies, weighs 10 grams, and moves around a lot. It can live in urban areas and can be seen at dusk in Hamilton. It catches insects on the wing.

The short-tailed bat is heavier at 15 grams, it lives in large colonies, and can occupy the same roost for weeks at a time. This one, unusually, can walk about on the forest floor to catch insects as well as catching them in flight.

Both types can live for as long as 15 or 20 years.

Colonies of bats can be found by analysing recordings of kiwis in the wild; as well as the ultrasonic echolocation noises they make, they also squeak rather like mice.

Bats are under threat, from habitat loss and predation by rats, stoats, and moreporks.

In the Eglinton study, RFID chips weighing about one gram are attached to the bats and their movements are monitored. The primary aim is to check female survival rates, which are key to population survival. In the last 15 years over 3500 bats have been tagged, and the colony is doing well.

Bex reminded us that bats are protected, and our NZ species don’t have diseases that humans can catch.

Bex also thinks that bats are not ugly, although not all of her audience agreed.

More messages from your neighbours
17 hours ago

Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.

How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.

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How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
  • 28.2% With a city-wide public fireworks display
    28.2% Complete
  • 21.1% Small fireworks displays in each community
    21.1% Complete
  • 7.3% Keep it as is
    7.3% Complete
  • 31.5% We shouldn't celebrate it!
    31.5% Complete
  • 11.4% Anything but fireworks
    11.4% Complete
  • 0.6% Other - I'll share below
    0.6% Complete
896 votes
6 hours ago

Winner winner!

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Congratulations to the winners of our $100 Mitre10 vouchers:

Justine Terrill from Mount Albert

Suzette Gibson from Nelson

Soumya Manoj from Lower Hutt

Millie George from Richmond Hill

If you're a winner, get in touch here.

Not a winner this week? There's always next week!

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6 hours ago

Solve This Riddle or Be Left Scratching Your Head!

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

With pointed fangs, I sit and wait;
with piercing force, I crunch out fate.
I grab victims, proclaiming might,
and physically join with a single bite.
What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

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