CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Pekapeka-tou-roa or the long-tailed bat, one of New Zealand’s two land mammals, was added in the Bird of the Year list by Forest and Bird. Pekapeka-tou-roa, a native New Zealand bat, has won the country’s annual Bird of The Year award, hosted by Forest and Bird, an independent conservation organisation.

Detailed explanation-2: -The pekapeka tou roa long-tailed bat was crowned Bird of the Year for 2021. New Zealand only has two land mammals, and they’re both bats. 2021 was the first time our native bat has been included in Bird of the Year, and it flew away with the title.

Detailed explanation-3: -New Zealand’s only native land mammal - a bat has won the country’s annual Bird of the Year competition.

Detailed explanation-4: -The controversial entry Pekapeka tou-roa/Long-tailed bat (since bats are not birds) has taken home the crown of New Zealand’s 2021 Bird of the Year announced on Breakfast show. Second place went to the Kākāpō, titipounamu got third, the kea was fourth and the toroa was fifth.

Detailed explanation-5: -There are two species of bats in New Zealand: the long-tailed bat and the lesser short-tailed bat. The long-tailed bat is classed as ‘Nationally Critical’ and short-tailed bat subspecies range from ‘Nationally Vulnerable’ to ‘Recovering’. But they are in danger of extinction if we don’t protect them.