The Bird Of The Year Honour Goes To New Zealand Bats.

A bat has been named New Zealand’s Bird of the Year for ruffling its feathers in a controversial gesture.

Long-tailed bats are rushing to win the title in online polls. Competition organizers included the bat. One of the few native mammals in the country, to increase its popularity as an endangered species.

However, the win upset some, as one commentator said the country had shaken. Angry bird lovers referred to the Bird on Twitter, calling it a “total joke,” “stolen election,” and more colorful, unprintable terms. After two tough years, some social media also saw it as a much-needed public outreach win for the bats.

But environmental group Forest and Bird, which organizes the race every year. Said the inclusion of bats was not an attempt to restore its image after the coronavirus pandemic. Spokeswoman Laura Keun said in a statement that “the voice of bats is also a voice on predator control.

Habitat restoration, and climate protection to protect our bats and their furry neighbors!”

The Bird of the Year competition is seen to raise awareness of New Zealand’s biodiversity and endangered species. In clear violation of the laws of scientific taxonomy, Forests. And Birds have decided to take on land mammals for the first time this year as they face the same challenges as birds. The long-tailed bat, also known as the desensitized-to-road and only about the size of a thumb. Defeated the flightless parrot and won the title.

More than 56,700 people voted, more than 7,000 for the bat and more than 4,000 for the kakapo, which won the competition last year. This is not the 1st time the race has sparked controversy. In 2019, it was found that hundreds of votes came from Russia, sparking fears of electoral fraud. Organizers later discovered that they were likely Russian bird lovers rather than hackers trying to manipulate the sound.