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Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
‘Bat' photo not worth batting an eye over
Bat, leaves, rubbish bag or black undies? PHOTO: SUPPLIED A grainy photo taken in a Dunedin park which sent social media batty was probably just a clump of leaves. Biosecurity New Zealand and the Department of Conservation (Doc) said they were investigating a possible sighting of a native Australian bat in a Dunedin park after a grainy photograph, first published on social media platform Reddit, got a lot of attention online. However, yesterday Biosecurity New Zealand animal health incursion investigations team manager Kelly Buckle said the investigation had concluded and no evidence of exotic bats was found. Staff conducted a search of the park where the suspected bats were observed, Ms Buckle said. No non-native bats were found, neither was any evidence of the presence of exotic bats. Further, the ''poor resolution of the image'' supplied to Biosecurity New Zealand meant bat experts could not identify any visible physical characteristics typical of bats. ''There isn't an obvious pathway for flying foxes to accidentally arrive and survive in Dunedin. ''On balance and given the distance from which the suspected bats were observed, it is possible that the bat-like objects were in fact leaf clusters that resemble the shape of flying foxes.'' When the Otago Daily Times reported yesterday that Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Doc were investigating the possible sighting, readers also questioned whether the image was indeed a bat. ''Someone has a good imagination,'' one reader said. ''Wonderful artistic use of a black plastic rubbish bag,'' another said. ''Dried-up leaf - it is autumn,'' yet another said. ''Or a pair of black undies, everyone's gone batty.'' Previously, MPI said there had only ever been two exotic bat finds within New Zealand's borders, both were little red flying foxes. One was found dead in 1926 southeast of Hamilton and another in Marlborough in 2024. — APL
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
Doc investigating possible bat sighting in Dunedin
PHOTO: REDDIT 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.
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
That's batty
PHOTO: REDDIT 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.
