WNPS lecture: secretive lives of small wild cats
View(s):In this month’s Wildlife and Nature Protection Society lecture ‘Insights into Feline Ecology: Unmasking Sri Lanka’s Small Wild Cats’, PhD candidate from the University of Queensland, Anya Ratnayaka, will unveil the secrets of Sri Lanka’s small wild cats, their secretive lives as well as the critical conservation efforts needed to safeguard these iconic species and their habitats. The lecture is at 6 p.m. on March 21, at the Jasmine Hall, BMICH.
Anya Ratnayaka
Anya’s research focuses on the ecology and behaviour of Sri Lanka’s urban population of fishing cats, one of the two small wild cat species in Sri Lanka that has a unique semi-aquatic lifestyle. Collaborating with government agencies, she leads a team of biologists striving for effective conservation measures to combat escalating threats such as urban wetland habitat loss, fragmentation and human-wildlife conflicts.
The talk will showcase captivating insights into the ecology of the Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) known for its comical call and buff leopard-like appearance, the Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) – a crucial terrestrial predator controlling rodent populations, and the elusive Rusty-Spotted Cat, (Prionailurus rubiginosus) – the smallest wild cat in the world.
A PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland, specializing in the ecology and behaviour of Sri Lanka’s urban population of fishing cats, Anya is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission: Cat Specialist Group, and is affiliated with prominent organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Network, Re:wild, and the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance. She is the co-founder of Small Cat Advocacy & Research (SCAR).
The WNPS lecture is supported by the Nations Trust Bank. It is open to both members and non-members, entrance free.
Fishing cat: Pic courtesy Wildlife Conservation Society, Galle
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