Photo of Anya  Ratnayaka Anya Ratnayaka
Small Cat Advocacy and Research, 81/14, Spring Hills Estate
Bowalawatta, Kandy, 20024, Sri Lanka
anya(at)scar.lk

I am a graduate in Wildlife and Conservation Management from the University of Queensland, Australia, and I am currently reading for a Masters of Philosophy at the same university. I have a strong interest in Sri Lankan wildlife and in particular the ecology and conservation of urban mesocarnivores. I founded the Urban Fishing Cat Conservation Project in 2013, and my research focuses on studyingthe world’s only known hyper-urban population of fishing cats, found in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Through my project, my team and I investigate how the species adaptsto rapid urbanisation, while raising its profile amongst stakeholders and the public. My team and I also work closely with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation, and the Urban Development Authority to uncover the secret life of this endangered species, and understand how we can better protect it, along with its urban habitats.