The sole survivor of an ancient lineage, the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat is believed to be one of only two native terrestrial mammals in New Zealand. Its only close relative, the greater short-tailed bat (Mystacina robusta), was last sighted in the 1960s and is believed to be extinct. Unlike most bats which catch their prey in the air, the short-tailed bat has adapted to hunting on the ground. It is regarded as the world’s most terrestrial bat, and has evolved to fill the niche of mice or shrews in other parts of the world. The terrestrial behaviour of the species makes it particularly vulnerable to predation by rats and feral cats, which were introduced to New Zealand by Europeans.