Bats and the law

In Britain all bat species and their roosts are legally protected, by both domestic and international legislation.

This means you may be committing a criminal offence if you:

1. Deliberately take, injure or kill a wild bat
2. Intentionally or recklessly disturb a bat in its roost or deliberately disturb a group of bats.
3. Damage or destroy a place used by bats for breeding or resting (roosts) (even if bats are not occupying the roost at the time)
4. Possess or advertise/sell/exchange a bat of a species found in the wild in the EU (dead or alive) or any part of a bat.
5. Intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a bat roost.
   

Please refer to the legislation for the precise wording - the above is a brief summary only

• Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) (as amended)
  
• Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017) (as amended).
  

For guidance on how to complain if environmental law is being broken please DOWNLOAD:
GREENER UK - How to complain if an environmental law is broken