About Us
We are an ecological consultancy with specialised knowledge and equipment focused on the ecology of bats. Our goal is to help infrastructure projects get over the line while preserving habitats and biodiversity.
Our Founder
Mike Jones has 15 years of experience in both conservation and consultancy. He completed a Master of Science with distinction majoring in Zoology at the University of Otago, where he gained a wide range of experience in the avian world. He then began his bat ecology journey in 2015 while working in DOC’s Research & Development team. In 2022, he founded Tou-Roa Ecology
Mike has overseen the delivery of radio-tracking programmes, acoustic surveys, tree felling surveys, habitat risk assessments, and habitat de-risking operations. He also provides specialist bat advice and extensive training to everyone from novice to experienced bat ecologists.
His work spans a variety of projects, from large-scale infrastructure programmes to conservation and community tracking. He has been working closely with DOC to develop a range of training and accreditation services for bat ecologists.
Certifications
Mike is an Accredited Trainer under the Department of Conservation’s Bat Handling Competencies Authorisation scheme in all competencies excluding wing biopsies and pit tagging (he is certified as competent for pit tagging but not for training others). Mike also holds competencies in European bat work and NZ bird banding.
Trainee Feedback
“Mike has an absolute wealth of knowledge that he shares in a very calm, patient manner (or with vicious wit). He’s fantastic at cultivating a learning environment where everyone feels confident to give things a go.”
“Mike was patient, knowledgeable, and dedicated – often spending hours teaching beginners how to handle bats correctly. His ability to break down complex concepts into manageable steps was invaluable.”
It [sic] has been highly rewarding. Particularly radio tracking. I had the opportunity to put all my radio tracking techniques into practice and it was really really fun and awesome to see how much I had actually learnt."
Collaborators
We’re proud to have worked with an impressive group of clients, contractors, community groups and conservation organisations.
• Contact us to discuss your unique project.
