New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Survivorship in two populations of long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) in New Zealand
Moira A. Pryde
Marieke Lettink*
Colin F. J. O’Donnell
Research, Development & Improvement
Department of Conservation
P.O. Box 13 049
Christchurch, New Zealand
mpryde@doc.govt.nz
*Present address: 29 Coates Road, Birdlings Flat, RD3, Little River 8162, New Zealand.
Abstract The survival of New Zealand long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus)
was assessed in two populations, one at Hanging Rock, South Canterbury,
South Island, the other at Grand Canyon, central west North Island.
Apparent survival of adult females over winter was calculated using
mark-recapture analysis over 5 years. Annual survival varied from 0.75
(95% CI = 0.54–0.88) to 0.89 (0.48–0.99) at Hanging Rock
and 0.55 (0.39–0.71) to 0.91 (0.44–0.99) at Grand Canyon.
Estimates of apparent survival were consistent with those from a
longer-term study of long-tailed bats in the Eglinton Valley,
Fiordland, South Island. The intrinsic rate of increase (λ) at
Hanging Rock was 0.90 (95% CI = 0.4–0.99), indicating that this
population may be declining more rapidly than that in the Eglinton
Valley. At Grand Canyon, population estimates fluctuated annually, with
no clear trend. Predation by introduced mammals and loss of habitat
likely caused declines at Hanging Rock. Management of these factors is
essential to avoid the local extinction of the species. Long-term
monitoring (greater than 5 years) is required to determine more robust
population trends for these long-tailed bat populations.
Keywords conservation; bats; Chiroptera; Chalinolobus tuberculatus; long-tailed bat; survival; population viability analysis; mark-recapture
Z06008; Received 23 December 2005; accepted 5 April 2006; Online publication date 18 April 2006
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2006, Vol. 33: 85–95
0301–4223/06/3302–0085 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2006
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