A long time ago, Aotearoa New Zealand’s skies were full of tiny fluttering pekapeka – our amazing native bats! There are two kinds remaining: pekapeka‑tou‑roa the long‑tailed bat and pekapeka‑tou‑poto the lesser short‑tailed bat. They’re super special, but also endangered because of predators, such as rats, and loss of habitat.
This International Bat Day (17 April), let’s help pekapeka fly again with the power of creativity!
Forest & Bird is inviting everyone to craft their own pekapeka (see 3 design instructions below, or make your own), hang them up around their neighbourhoods, take photos, and share the fun online from 17-19 April. Imagine whole streets filled with swooping DIY bats to remind us all why these tiny animals are so cool and need our help.
Share your photos with us here
Let’s fill New Zealand's skies with bats again – starting with the ones we make ourselves!
Crafting resources:
- Build a bat using this step-by-step KCC guide and hang it in your frontyard, or bring your bat to work and spark conversations about pekapeka with colleagues.
- You might like to craft an origami or leaf bat as well!
You can join in by:
- bringing a crafted bat to work or your activities, or
- decorating your home, community spaces, or office with your cool creations!
If you want to do something else in celebration, we'd also love you to share photos of that too.
If you run a holiday programme, why not make Friday 17 April 'Bring a Bat Day'.
Go for a nature walk, hunt for trees that would make great bat roosts, hang up your DIY bats, and share where they are online. Why not hosting a “bat‑tastic” morning tea, or read bat stories to your tamariki?
Here are some other free Forest & Bird resources and opportunities to get you batty in the meantime:
Watch this Forest & Bird video about long-tailed bats in Aotearoa New Zealand, including rare footage of bats flying and a map with pekapeka populations. It was created as part of our national advocacy for native bats and their habitats.
Download and share KCC's bat-focused Wild Things magazine (Issue 157) with your tamariki or mokopuna.
Learn about Forest & Bird's nationally significant Te Hoiere bat recovery project and make a donation.
Join Forest & Bird and help bats in your backyard. Many of our branches and national projects need volunteers to help with predator control and habitat restoration.
Fill in our Forest & Bird Bat Celebration form and we'll keep you updated if more cool opportunities come up!