Mahana Bush
HAWKE’S BAY | LAUNCHED 31st JULY 2026
At the heart of the Anaroa Valley sits Mahana Bush, a titoki-dominated lowland podocarp remnant protected by a QEII covenant since 1998 and still recovering from grazing. Bats have long hunted over the farm at dusk, and in 2022 an acoustic survey found them active there night after night, with hints of roosting nearby. We're following that up. The valley also lies almost 25 kilometres from Te Mata Peak, right on the edge of our Echose Around Te Mata citizen science project’s survey area. Are these the same bats we hear around the peak and Havelock North? Scroll on to see what we’ve found out so far.
Mahana Bush is one of our Pekapeka Patrol monitoring projects, following a clear, step-by-step approach to building a better understanding of local bat populations:
We begin by Establishing whether bats are present and which species are using the area. From there, we work to Understand where and when bats are active, before moving into Act & Innovate, using what we learn to inform practical action on the ground. We then Build Capacity by sharing knowledge and insights, while continuing to Monitor over time to track activity and change.
This page follows the project as the work unfolds, sharing our objectives, field notes, maps and emerging insights. Right now, we're in Phase 1: Establish.
Follow along as we begin to uncover what's happening around Mahana Bush or join the National Bat Survey as a Pekapeka Patroller at the bottom of the page to get involved!
Are bats here?
Which species?
What are they doing?
What’s changing?
Objectives
Each project delivers to ten key objectives. To see an overview of objective steps, .
Phase
Phase 1, in progress. To see an overview of project phases, .
Site
Upper Anaroa Valley (5km): 78.5 km² (7,850 ha), 10 km across. Special thanks to the Kirk family for giving access to their lowland forest - Mahana Bush. Thanks also to the Rose family, who owns land in the valley with a spring fed pond popular with long-tailed bats and that hosts a long-term monitoring site.
Deliverables & success criteria
Acoustic survey phase 1 findings report. To see the full breakdown by objective, .
| Activity | Description/frequency |
|---|---|
| Detector deployment | Scales progressively through each survey phase — from initial small-scale deployment (Obj 1) to broader coverage (Obj 2, 3 & 5). |
| Field visits | Install / service (SD swap) / retrieval — approx. monthly. |
| Data processing | The Bat Pack, with manual verification. |
| Analysis | Manual analysis to understand site use and identify hotspots. |
| Reporting | Ongoing website content, plus a formal annual report after the season (e.g. August). Includes cross-site comparison where relevant. |
| Trialling innovative techniques New |
Trials of new conservation actions/survey methods as introduced — reported annually. |
| Threat ID & conservation recs New |
Annual review of threats present, feeding conservation recommendations. |
| Landowner/partner liaison | Monthly, tied to the detector check visit — short text or video update. |
| Education & awareness | Shared content and resources — weekly. |
DOC Bat Recovery Plan – objective alignment
The 1995 DOC Bat (Pekapeka) Recovery Plan sets out five national objectives guiding bat conservation in Aotearoa. Rowe Bush directly contributes to four of these.
- Research. Our ongoing survey and monitoring work builds the evidence base needed for effective bat management.
- Status evaluation. Establishing presence, species, and distribution data contributes to national understanding.
- Protection and monitoring. Long-term monitoring supports population tracking across the species' range.
- Public awareness. Sharing this project's progress helps build public involvement in bat conservation.
The Plan's remaining objective concerns island-based short-tailed bat translocation, outside the scope of this mainland monitoring project.
Read recovery planProject objectives
| # | Objective |
|---|---|
| 1 | Establish presence and species (via acoustic survey) |
| 2 | Refine understanding of activity/distribution across the project area (ongoing survey — may reveal additional species) |
| 3 | Identify hotspots (foraging/commuting/roosting) and seasonality of activity/distribution |
| 4 | Identify threats and recommend conservation actions, based on findings from Objectives 1–3 |
| 5 | Establish a long-term monitoring site — track activity over time as a proxy for colony health and a wider indicator |
| 6 | Trial and develop innovative conservation and survey techniques (e.g. roost boxes, refined methods) |
| 7 | Cross-site comparison and standardised reporting, using a consistent graphical template — also an educational resource for other ecologists |
| 8 | Raise awareness and build community engagement — social media, blog, video sharing the project journey (runs from Phase 1, continuously) |
| 9 | Landowner and community relationship-building (runs from Phase 1, continuously) |
| 10 | Capacity building and training, delivered online — matures once there's real project substance to teach from |
Project phases
Swipe to see more→
| # | Phase | Description | Objectives introduced | Objectives continuing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Establish | Confirm presence, species, initial activity | 1, 8, 9 | — |
| 2 | Understand | Full picture of distribution, hotspots, seasonality, cross-site comparison | 2, 3, 7 | 8, 9 |
| 3 | Act & Innovate | Recommend/trial conservation actions and techniques | 4, 6 | 8, 9 |
| 4 | Build Capacity | Training content matures now there's substance to teach from | 10 | 8, 9 |
| 5 | Monitor | Long-term monitoring established and ongoing | 5 | 8, 9, 10 |
Deliverables & success criteria
Swipe to see more→
| Objective | Deliverable(s) | Success Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Presence & species | Brief report + map, downloadable/shareable, branded | Survey completed; species confirmed present (or absence established with confidence) |
| 2. Activity & distribution | Per-survey report + maps, shown consistently (Survey 1, 2, Cumulative) | Sufficient coverage achieved to characterise activity patterns |
| 3. Hotspots & seasonality | Hotspot map + seasonal comparison maps | Key hotspots identified; seasonal variation documented |
| 4. Threats & recommendations | Recommendations report/section | Actionable, evidence-based recommendations from Objectives 1–3 |
| 5. Long-term monitoring | Permanent site established (e.g. SM5), sited at a hotspot; feeds Obj 7 | Site operational, collecting data on an ongoing (e.g. annual) basis |
| 6. Trial techniques | Brief paper/blog + video/social content | Trial completed and documented with clear findings |
| 7. Cross-site comparison | Comparative analysis using a standardised graphical template | Comparison completed with ≥1 other site, using the template |
| 8. Awareness & engagement | Active social presence; direct public/volunteer engagement | Channels active, regularly producing content; genuine engagement |
| 9. Landowner relationships | (relationship-based) | Landowners hosting the monitoring site are on board and supportive |
| 10. Capacity building | Online training content (video, blog, social) | Training material published on the website |
Field Notes
A running diary from the field — updated whenever there's something worth logging from a site visit, detector check or survey.
Scroll to see more entries
Field Observations
24 Sep 2026
Fresh batteries and a first look at the data
Back out to all three sites, at the Roses’ and the Kirks’, to swap batteries and pull the data, with the detectors left in place and still recording. Back at the lab, the first look was a real surprise: a huge amount of bat activity compared with our other specialist project sites. We’re still just exploring, but thanks to both families this corner of the valley is clearly worth a closer listen this summer.
28 Aug 2026
Two more sites in Mahana Bush
Duncan and Caroline Kirk came to us through the Karamu River Catchment Collective, curious about what might be living in their bush. So today Sites 2 and 3 went out in Mahana Bush, one detector each. No grand plan yet, we’re just exploring: a couple of listening posts to get our feet on the ground. With Site 1 ticking away at Roses Dam next door, that makes three detectors out in the upper Anaroa Road, the upper Anaroa Valley.
23 Aug 2026
Fresh batteries at Site 1
Quick trip back to the Site 1 detector at Roses Dam for a battery change. Same unit, same spot, freshly powered and redeployed to keep the nights rolling. It’s a simple job, but it’s the bit that makes long runs of data possible. I couldn’t help wondering what the first few weeks had picked up, and what this summer might reveal once we scale up.
31 Jul 2026
Long-term monitoring starts at Roses Dam
Mike and Dru Rose came to us through the Echoes Around Te Mata citizen science survey, and they’ve hosted a detector at Roses Dam since last season. This season we went a step further and set up Site 1 on their property as a long-term monitoring site, in the same valley and right next door to Mahana Farm. We’re just exploring, but a steady run of nights should tell us plenty. Roll on summer.
The Data – Mahana Bush
Explore the latest monitoring data, see where activity is being recorded and follow what we’re learning about bats across the project area.
Survey nights
All-time detector-nights of listening effort across all sites.
Sites monitored
Species: Long-tailed bat
Bat passes recorded
1st bat after sunset (median) · Site 3
Social call recordings
Weekly bat activity
Long term monitoring site (1) only — empty spokes = not surveyed. Destination: 52wk coverage.
Each spoke is one week of the year, length and shade showing how much activity the bat detector at our long-term monitoring site picked up. As more seasons of data come in, this builds into a richer year-round “fingerprint” for the site — and doubles as visible evidence of long-term monitoring once it shows near-full-year coverage.
Activity & distribution maps
Click a map to zoom in.
How this compares to other projects
| Project | Survey Nights | Bat Passes Recorded | Call-type breakdown | Last update | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahana Bush | 101 | 7,479 | 21 Oct 2026 | Active | |
| Mohi Bush | 901 | 10,090 | 18 Sep 2026 | Active | |
| Rowe Bush | 1,276 | 33,173 | 21 Oct 2026 | Active |
Call-type key
- Echolocation
- Foraging
- Commuting
- Social
Expert on the ground
Mark Roper
Ecologist and Founder of The Bat Co. Lab
With more than 20 years of experience across freshwater, fish and bat ecology, Mark brings deep ecological expertise to every project. His work combines scientific rigour, practical field experience and a commitment to building better knowledge and outcomes for bats across Aotearoa.
Through The Bat Co. Lab, Mark combines specialist consultancy with practical tools and innovative approaches to bat monitoring. He is also passionate about making ecological knowledge more accessible and creating opportunities for communities to contribute to bat conservation.
Our project partners
With thanks
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Kirk family and Michael and Dru Rose for generously allowing us access to their land as part of the Mahana Bush project. Their support and willingness to host our bat detectors has helped make this important monitoring work possible, contributing valuable information to our understanding of the bats that call this landscape home.
We are incredibly grateful to have their support in helping us learn more about and protect these unique species.
Support bat conservation in action
Support from our community helps turn bat conservation into real, measurable action. Donations fund fieldwork, detector deployment, rapid data analysis, and community-led projects that improve understanding of bat populations and the environments they depend on. Every contribution directly supports practical, science-led work on the ground.
Want to get involved?
Do you live within the project area? Interested in having bat detectors placed on your property? Help us uncover more about the bats living in your local area.
Support the project and help make this research possible. Your sponsorship goes towards the time, expertise and fieldwork needed to monitor and protect our local bat populations.
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