Doc investigating possible bat sighting in Dunedin
Biosecurity New Zealand and the Department of Conservation (Doc) are investigating a possible sighting of a native Australian bat in a Dunedin park.
However, officials say if a bat did arrive in the city, it would not survive overnight low temperatures.
Biosecurity New Zealand animal health incursion investigations team manager Kelly Buckle confirmed the two agencies were working together to investigate a reported sighting of exotic bats after this photograph was posted on social media platform Reddit a week ago.
"There have been no further sightings since and there is nothing to indicate any exotic bats are here," she said.
"If there were exotic bats in the area, they would have likely been unable to survive cold overnight temperatures in Dunedin."
There had only ever been two non-native bat finds within New Zealand, and both were a little red flying fox. A little red flying fox was found dead in 1926 at Matangi, southeast of Hamilton, and another was found in Marlborough nearly a century later, last year, she said.
Doc referred questions to Biosecurity New Zealand.
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