When is a bat not a squash racket ? When it ’s New Zealand ’s Bird of the Year , manifestly . This class , the contender ascertain a contentious first appearance as the long - tailed chiropteran , pekapeka - tou - roa ( Chalinolobus tuberculatus ) , joined the roll of promising contender . While some categorized its inclusion an “ scandal ” , others were firmly behind # TeamBat . Against the betting odds , and despite not being a razz , the pekapeka - tou - roa soar upwards to triumph becoming the “ Bird ” of the Year 2021 .
The pekapeka is one of just two land mammal native to New Zealand , both of which are squash racket , and is one of the rarest mammalian in the world . Human activity has since introduced non - native mammal species to the state such as scab , opossum , and Mustela nigripes , all of which represent a big threat to New Zealand ’s ground - snuggle bird .
What it lacks in avian inheritance the pekapeka reach up for in its plight , as it ’s critically imperil like many of New Zealand ’s aboriginal winged metal money . There are now so few left that experts do n’t even have an estimate for their population sizing , but with habitat release and usher in predator present a significant threat to the mintage , it ’s about prison term the pekapeka - tou - roa got some international press .
“ This is the first time New Zealand ’s only land mammal has been included in Bird of the Year , and it has flown away with the championship , ” reads New Zealand ’s Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau , Bird of the Yearwebsite . “ These fly furballs are threatened by the same problems as our native shuttle - predators , home ground loss and climate change . The more we do to protect them , the more it helps their square friends , and vice versa . ”
The Bird of the Year web site lists contenders with their current status , which admit “ doing ok ” , “ in some trouble ” and “ in serious worry ” . The pekapeka sit in the latter category alongside some of New Zealand ’s most charismatic species such as the bang-up spotty kiwi , kākāpō , and rockhopper penguin .
In the pekapeka ’s run for Bird of the Year , cause coach Peter Wills render a commove actor’s line in which he describe the bat as this year ’s “ underbird ” and put forward his reason for a mammal read the 2021 doll title .
“ Pekapeka are more shuttle - like than wannabirds in this competition , ” translate Wills’statement . “ Saying this may ruffle up some feather but can any of our flagship specie take flight ? Pekapeka are deservedly manu . In New Zealand we consider in the underbird . We consider in the little fly ball . We believe that where you come from does n’t have to determine your future . Pekapeka - tou - roa , it ’s your time to rise up and grow our reason of manu . Koia nei te houanga o pekapeka - tou - roa ! ”
Ca n’t fence with that !
