In the 1980s, the VWT established three reserves for otters on the Somerset Levels and one for greater horseshoe bats in Devon. Today, the Trust manages over 40 sites; the majority of which are bat roosts.

Since the mid-1990s, the VWT has concentrated much of its resources on bat conservation, including the protection and enhancement of roosts for rare bats. The Trust acquired a number of key breeding roosts for rarer bats such as the horseshoe bats and the Trust's reserves in the south-west of England include one of the largest greater horseshoe bat roosts in Europe. Together the VWT's greater horseshoe bat roosts now support a substantial proportion of the British population. Most of the reserves are old buildings typically selected as summer roosts by horseshoe bats.

Bats are very vulnerable to disturbance and as a result it is not possible to allow public access to VWT roost sites.

For more information on British bats please go to our publications page.