An independent conservation organisation in New Zealand, Forest & Bird, organised its annual Bird of The Year Award, recently.
New Zealand’s Annual Bird of The Year award
In the year 2021, the annual bird of the year award was won by Pekapeka-tou-roa, which is a native bat species of New Zealand.
The species was made the winner in competition, despite not being a bird.
Pekapeka-tou-roa is also known as long-tailed bat. It is one among New Zealand’s two land mammals. This species of bat was added to the Bird of the Year list by Forest and Bird as these species of bat as well as native birds are threatened by the same problems like habitat loss, predators and climate change. Thus, the first time in 2021, the organisation has let a native mammal to enter the competition.
