Ben Paris

Secure your spot by 7 March to get these great early-bat prices 🦇

#bathui #pekapeka #conservation #community

Instagram Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.

www.instagram.com/troymcdonald... 🦇

Don’t pass up the opportunity to nab some excellent merch at next month's National Pekapeka Hui!

Registrations are open: lnkd.in/eU8DQvzC and tee shirts are up for sale!

Limited run. No restocks.

Artwork by the incredible Troy McDonald: lnkd.in/e-crxr-g

#pekapeka #nzbats #bathui

So amazing to work alongside some amazingly talented artists who love to show pekapeka in different ways. Can’t wait until everyone gets to see this at the hui! 🦇

www.pekapeka.org

#nzbats #pekapeka #bathui

The ultimate super-mum: Ruahine the kōkako defies age in the Hūnua Ranges From brink to booming, still breeding at 21 - the kōkako matriarch tells the Hūnua comeback story.

“Auckland Council has proudly supported this mahi for decades, working alongside mana whenua, community groups and ecologists to restore the mauri of the Hūnua Ranges.”

ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/02...

#AKLkokako #AKLbiodiversity

We want your bat pics 📸 🦇

Franklin to host bat hui - Franklin Times Bats are set to take centre stage in Waiuku next month as Finding Franklin Bats prepares to host the National Pekapeka Hui. The native long-tailed bat, or Chalinolobus tuberculatus, is one of New Zeal...

Bats are set to take centre stage in Waiuku next month as Finding Franklin Bats prepares to host the National Pekapeka Hui.

franklintimes.co.nz/franklin-to-...

#nzbats #pekapeka #bathui #franklin

The National Pekapeka Hui is here! 🦇🎉 Join us at Rereteewhioi Marae from March 25–27, 2026, to connect, learn, and protect pekapeka with bat lovers from across Aotearoa.

Ready to be part of the kōrero? Secure your spot now!

🔗 events.humanitix.com/national-pek...

Out on a bat hunt with Auckland Council elected members and the awesome team at Finding Franklin Bats 🦇✨
#community #conservation #nzbats #batspotting #pekapeka

‘Petrelheads’ are restoring an eccentric native bird Opinion from Auckland University: More than 150 burrows now exist on the mainland at Te Henga – up from only two in 2014

“We spend a lot of time talking about how dire things are for native species. I’d love for us to talk more about the birds we’ve saved – and that’s happening with ōi right in front of us on the west coast.”

newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/08/p... #aklbiodiversity #pestfreeAKL

🚶‍♂️🌳 Off to the field today to track down pekapeka roosts around Huia Dam! 🦇 Over the past week, the team have trapped two tiny bats, and now it’s time to use a mix of ground & drone radio tracking to learn more about where they’re roosting. 🛰️ This data is key to helping us protect these little bats!

🔗 www.pekapeka.org/pekapekahui2... 🦇

We welcome you to submit a video up to 2 mins long to showcase your work at this year’s hui! 🎥

If you have a video showcasing your project, research, or a topic relevant to pekapeka conservation, we’d love for you to submit it as part of our Abstracts Expression of Interest.

#pekapeka #bathui 🦇

Submit your bat-themed photo for the National Pekapeka Hui—20 framed displays, one artist-chosen prize. Enter via email. T&Cs apply… 🦇 📷

👉 Enter by emailing franklinbats@ecoquest.co.nz
✅ Subject: Photo Display
📄 T&Cs: www.pekapeka.org/photo-comp

Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges pest control delivers outstanding gains for native wildlife Big wins for nature; kōkako flourish after pest control success.

“This work shows what is possible when science, experience and long-term commitment come together. The return of native birds nesting again in the Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui, is a powerful signal these forests are healthier and more resilient.”
ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/01...

Are you a hellraiser mite or a knobbled weevil? Take the quiz and vote for NZ’s Bug of the Year Take the personality quiz to match with one of NZ’s larger-than-life little creatures, then cast your vote.

Are you a hellraiser mite or a knobbled weevil? Take the quiz and vote for NZ’s Bug of the Year
theconversation.com/are-you-a-he...

Want to be on the right side of biodiversity this summer? It's your choice New Zealand’s biodiversity is under immense pressure, but we can give native species a boost this summer by making some simple choices.

We can all be part of the solution! newsroom.co.nz/2026/01/14/i...

Flying foxes die in their thousands in worst mass-mortality event since Australia’s black summer Volunteers found thousands of dead bats at Melbourne’s Brimbank park, wildlife expert says

Flying foxes die in their thousands in worst mass-mortality event since Australia’s black summer

🦇 Call for Abstracts | National Pekapeka Hui 2026
Got insights, stories, or research about pekapeka in Aotearoa? We want to hear from you!
The National Pekapeka Hui 2026 is your chance to share mahi that matters 💡

⏰ Abstract submissions close 27 January 2026
🔗 Submit yours today: pekapeka.org

From city wharves to wild dunes Birds and beaches – the summer guide to protecting Auckland’s coastal shorebirds.

“With a little care and cooperation, Aucklanders can prove summer fun and wildlife protection go hand in hand”

ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/su...

We’re excited to be hosting the National Pekapeka Hui 2026 at Rereteewhioi Marae in Franklin!

📅 When: 25–27 March 2026
🌏 Theme: People • Pekapeka • Place

Got questions in the meantime? Flick us an email us at franklinbats@ecoquest.co.nz

Save the date, we can’t wait to see you in Franklin! 🦇

This morning I visited Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park, a 60-hectare reserve on the northwest edge of Hamilton, opposite Hamilton Zoo. It was special to return to a place where I helped plant some of the very first native plants for this restoration project.

Four species, 160 days, 50,000 images: meet the photographer dedicated to showing the lovable side of flying foxes Doug Gimesy’s extreme close-ups of ‘sky puppies’ are designed to trigger an emotional response that endears people to the ‘wrongly vilified’ mammals

Positive 🦇 story!

#bats #lovebats #conservation #nature #naturalhistory

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

More hornets expected over summer, public urged to remain vigilant To date, there have been been reported sightings only in Auckland - with the discovery of queen hornets and nests in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas.

More hornets expected over summer, public urged to remain vigilant www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/582... #yellowleggedhornets #community #biosecurity #pestfreeAKL 🐝

Today I took the family to Ōtakamiro Point, one of our few mainland gannet (takapu) breeding colonies. The sights, sounds, and smells are incredible!

#muriwai #gannet #takapu #family #schoolholidays #aklbiodiversity

Conservationists urge Auckland dog owners to protect penguins Little penguins/kororā are suffering from ongoing dog attacks and interactions around Auckland’s coastline.

The attacks on the birds have prompted mana whenua, conservation organisations, DOC and Auckland Council to urge dog owners to keep their pets under control and well away from the rocky coastline, dunes, and pest-free islands where kororā are found.
www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-r... #pestfeeAKL

Ngā mihi to all who walked, taught, and learned with me this year. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini. This mahi isn’t mine, it’s ours

#NZBats #Pekapeka #Community #Conservation #2025Wrapped

15 years of ‘Being Batman’ taught me this: conservation is about showing up. Not just for bats and biodiversity, but for the people, communities, and relationships that make this work possible.

2025 in review 🦇

Highlights include: Sharing our community-led pekapeka work at the International Bat Research Conference, the launching Manaaki Pekapeka (pekapeka.org) to unite conservation efforts, and mentoring the next generation of conservation champions.

We’re assisting the Ministry of Primary Industries to eradicate the yellow-legged hornet – a major threat to New Zealand’s primary industries.
Please be vigilant and report any sightings!

Find out more: bit.ly/4iT9k63

#Biosecurity #YellowLeggedHornet #BioeconomyScience