CR

New Zealand Long-tailed Bat

Chalinolobus tuberculatus

Declining

Overview

Chalinolobus tuberculatus, known more commonly as the New Zealand long-tailed bat, the long-tailed wattle bat or pekapeka tou-roa, is a small insectivorous mammal within the genus Chalinolobus. The long-tailed bat is one of 7 species belonging to the genus Chalinolobus, which are commonly referred to as "wattled bats," "pied bats" and "long-tailed bats." The genus Chalinolobus is characterised by fleshy lobes located on their lower lips and at the bottom of their ears. Some zoologists claim there is overlap between the Chalinolobus genus and the Glauconycteris genus.

The New Zealand long-tailed bat faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from deforestation and agricultural conversion of native forests. Introduced mammalian predators, particularly stoats, cats, and rats, pose a significant threat to roosting colonies and foraging individuals. Climate change is altering insect prey availability and distribution, while human disturbance of roost sites in old-growth trees further compounds population pressures.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits native and exotic forests, particularly favoring old-growth areas with large hollow trees for roosting. It forages in forest canopies, forest edges, and adjacent open areas including wetlands and grasslands.

Forest· majorForest - Temperate· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionInvasive/problematic species controlSpecies management

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Frequently asked questions

Why is New Zealand Long-tailed Bat classified as Critically Endangered?
New Zealand Long-tailed Bat is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The New Zealand long-tailed bat faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from deforestation and agricultural conversion of native forests. Introduced mammalian predators, particularly stoats, cats, and rats, pose a significant threat to roosting colonies and foraging individuals. Climate change is altering insect prey availability and distribution, while human disturbance of roost sites in old-growth trees further compounds population pressures.
Where does New Zealand Long-tailed Bat live?
New Zealand Long-tailed Bat occurs in New Zealand. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to New Zealand Long-tailed Bat?
The main threats to New Zealand Long-tailed Bat are 11.1, 11.4, 5.3, and 8.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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