Providing bat boxes and conserving natural roost sites supports bat welfare by addressing the roost habitat loss that is one of the primary drivers of bat population declines.
Bat roost conservation addresses a fundamental welfare need — shelter for reproduction, thermoregulation, and survival — that is threatened by development and building maintenance practices. Loss of roost sites has welfare implications for individual bats who are displaced, and population-level consequences for species already under pressure from White-Nose Syndrome, insecticide use, and wind turbines. Bat boxes provide genuine welfare benefit when appropriately sited and sized for target species. Building renovation projects that incorporate bat-friendly design features (retention of appropriate spaces, installation of bat bricks) create long-term roost solutions that support bat populations sustainably.