About Us
We are an ecological consultancy with specialised knowledge and equipment focused on the ecology of pekapeka/bats. Our goal is threefold:
1) Develop the field of bat ecology in Aotearoa through training and access to technology for all walks of life, from consultants, to researchers, to community groups, to tangata whenua and kaitiaki. Everyone can get involved.
2) Ensure positive outcomes for bats through conservation and habitat protection developed through grass-roots community projects, open and collaborative research, and non-restrictive sharing of knowledge.
3) Help development and infrastructure projects get over the line while preserving and enhancing habitat for bats through science-backed research and management and use of cutting edge technology.
We offer proven on-the-ground support and field data delivery as well as advice, insight and oversight expertise in bat management and bat ecology.
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 and worked in DOC’s Research & Development team for 5 years, refining his bat ecology and training skills. From there, he moved to consultancy, and in 2023, he founded Tou-Roa Ecology.
Mike has overseen the delivery of radio-tracking programs, 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 for all matters relating to bat ecology.
His work spans a variety of projects, from large-scale infrastructure programs to conservation and community tracking. He has been working closely with DOC to develop a range of training and accreditation services for bat ecologists, which he has utilised to provide training to an extensive list of private, public and community organisations. See our COLLABORATORS section for details.
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).
Through his work in the Eglinton Valley and his development of High Risk training programs, Mike has been responsible for the majority of training of bat ecologists to date.
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.
