All British bat species are protected under UK and European legislation. Please click here to learn about bat protection governed by international and UK law.

A proposed UK List of Priority Species and Habitats was published in June 2007 and contains 1149 species and 65 habitats that have been listed as priorities for conservation action under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). There are a number of bat species on this list, and these include Barbastelle Bat, Bechstein`s Bat, Soprano Pipistrelle, Greater Horseshoe Bat, Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Noctule and Brown long-eared bat. These species (excluding the Noctule and Brown long-eared bat) also have Species Action Plans (SAPs) which help to encourage and maintain existing population numbers.

On the Isle of Wight, a plan called the Woodland Bat Habitat Action Plan has been developed with the aim "to protect and, where possible, increase the distribution and population of woodland bats, in particular Bechstein’s bat and Barbastelle, in the Isle of Wight".

This plan can be viewed here