This volcano is underwater. The cloud of ash was still 20KM high, & the suddenness of air displacement created a sonic boom..

Hunga #Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai #eruption at 04:00 UTC on Jan 15.

An undersea volcano erupted near the Tonga Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, causing a tsunami...

It’s worth adding that this bat, the New Zealand Short-Tailed Bat, is the ONLY land mammal native to New Zealand.

These lovely little creatures have adapted to spend an unusual amount of time foraging for food on the ground. One of their food sources are the flowers of Dactylanthus taylorii , a seriously cool endangered kind of parasitic plant that grows on the forest floor.

Since there’s nothing else like these bats in the country, and they are flying creatures, and they’re endangered and in need of more Public Awareness, (which is the ultimate purpose of Bird of the Year) it makes sense for them to be added to the poll.