Should we love bats more? One from New Zealand has just won a bird of the year competition. But fans say it is about time we celebrated the little mammals.
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Shock as bat is named bird of the year
Should we love bats more? One from New Zealand has just won a bird of the year competition. But fans say it is about time we celebrated the little mammals.
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What's happening?
Every year, New Zealand holds a very important contest. Its aim? To find New Zealand's Bird of the Year.
But this year, there was a surprise when the winner was announced. The winner was not a bird at all. It was a bat.
Find out more
The Pekapeka-tou-roa is a long-tailed bat. It won this year's competition by more than 3,000 votes.
The Bird of the Year competition is a vote held to raise awareness of New Zealand's wildlife and endangered species.
This year, more than 58,000 people from 100 countries voted. It was the highest number of voters since the start of the competition.
But how did a bat win?
Maori is one of the official languages spoken by the people of New Zealand. The competition's Maori name is Te Manu Rongonui o te Tau. The word Manu means flying creatures. That includes bats!
Lots of fans are pleased. These bats are endangered. There are lots of threats that mean they could die out. Winning the competition means many more people will know about them.
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Should we love bats more?
Some say
No. Bats are nasty and dangerous. Vampire bats suck your blood! And other species can carry diseases like rabies.
Others think
Yes! They are amazing. They are the only mammals that fly. They use their ears to see where they are going. And they help the environment by pollinating flowers and eating insects that damage crops.
Shock as bat is named bird of the year
