Traps extended to protect Marlborough long-tailed bats

Wednesday, 11 December 2019

The long-tailed bat population at the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve is under pressure from an increase in rat numbers. A recent funding boost means more self-setting traps can be bought to protect the endangered mammals.

One of the last remaining populations of long-tailed bats in the the top of south is set to receive some extra protection.

A recent Department of Conservation (DOC) Community Fund grant of $18,448 will assist efforts to protect long-tailed bats, or pekapeka, from high rat numbers following widespread beech seed fall at the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve.

An additional 20 self-resetting A24 traps and use of the toxin diphacinone in bait stations will supplement the existing trapping network.

The Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project, a Forest & Bird initiative, has been carrying out predator control in the area since 2010 to protect the long-tailed bat population.

Forest & Bird top of the south regional manager Debs Martin with a self-resetting rat trap at Pelorus Bridge scenic reserve.

* The secret lives of bats tracked by recovery project

* New traps trigger big decline in rats at Pelorus**

A long-tailed bat caught by ecologist Brian Lloyd as part of the Te Hoeire Bat Recovery Project in 2016.

DOC Marlborough Sounds operations manager Dave Hayes said the conservation status of the long-tailed bat was nationally critical – the highest level of risk. They have the same threatened status as the kākapo.

'The population centred on Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve and the Pelorus River is important as one of the last and largest remaining bat populations in the top of the South Island.'

Forest & Bird top of the south regional manager Debs Martin said rat numbers in the area had surged as a result of the mega-mast last summer.

'Trapping lines that were catching half a dozen rats are now catching up to 45 within a week – and many more aren't being caught as our monitoring is still showing high numbers. This grant is vital in helping protect the roost trees of bats as they move into breeding season.'

DOC Community Fund grants have been given to 15 community conservation projects in the top of the South Island, including two groups who have been carrying out predator trapping for more than 10 years.

The Friends of Rotoiti was granted $26,444 to upgrade its stoat and rat trapping network with new traps. The group's network was established in 2001 to support DOC's Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project in Nelson Lakes National Park.

The Friends of Cobb has received a grant of $19,900 over three years to support its stoat trapping over about 8000 hectares in the Cobb Valley in Kahurangi National Park. The group has been trapping since 2006 to help protect native species such as kiwi, kea, kākā, whio and rock wren.