Tamahere is home to New Zealand's endangered long-tailed bats (pekapeka tou roa), which play a crucial role in controlling insects and pollinating plants. These bats face threats from habitat loss, predation, and urbanisation, so protecting old trees, controlling pests, and maintaining dark, green corridors is essential for their survival.

Native bird activity in Hamilton’s gullies looks to be on the rise, with increased sightings of bellbirds and kereru in areas with strong conservation efforts. This highlights the need for us to continue and potentially ramp up our pest control and native planting in Tamahere to support these birds here as well

As planting season kicks off, let’s tackle invasive pampas grass, which unlike native toetoe, spreads quickly, shelters pests, and poses a fire risk—check Waikato Regional Council’s resources for tips on managing it!

Even with global stars like John Oliver and Leonardo DiCaprio shining a light on our native wildlife, we still face significant biodiversity challenges in NZ—every small action, from making our gardens bird-friendly to controlling pests, helps ensure our taonga species thrive for future generations.

Recent kākā sightings in Tamahere might indicate young birds exploring before nesting next summer—please report any sightings to the Waikato kākā project or contact us to share the details!

The long-tailed bat, or pekapeka-tou-roa, is a rare native mammal living in the Tamahere gullies. These bats are crucial for insect control and ecosystem health, but they’re endangered due to habitat loss and predators. Let’s support their survival by protecting their roosting spots!

Native birds like korimako/bellbirds once thrived in Tamahere but have declined due to predators and habitat loss. Our goal is to make Tamahere predator-free, so korimako and other wildlife can flourish again.