All UK bat species and their roosts are legally protected; understanding how to identify and protect roosts is essential for anyone undertaking building work or tree surgery.
Bat roost protection matters both ecologically and for individual bat welfare. Maternity roosts housing nursing female bats and dependent pups are particularly sensitive: disturbing a maternity roost during the summer months can cause abandonment of pups, which are unable to thermoregulate independently. Building owners who inadvertently destroy roosts may face prosecution, but the primary concern should be the welfare of animals that depend on roost sites that they cannot easily replace. Most building works can proceed with appropriate mitigation once a roost has been identified.