Anya
Ratnayaka
I study how wildlife survives the modern city — and I draw the cats most people will never get to see. Also, reliably: a powerlifter, and full-time mum to two very large, very spoilt dogs.
About
I'm a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, working on the ecology and conservation of urban mesocarnivores — the wild animals quietly making a living inside our cities.
Much of my fieldwork is in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where I study the world's only known hyper-urban population of fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) — how they're adapting to rapid urbanisation and wetland loss, and how we raise their profile with the public and the people who shape the city.
In 2013 I started the Urban Fishing Cat Conservation Project, and in 2017 I co-founded the non-profit Small Cat Advocacy & Research. None of it is solo work — my team and I work closely with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation and the Urban Development Authority, alongside a global community of small-cat researchers.
Affiliations
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group Member
- Wildlife Conservation Network Scholar
- Re:wild Assoc. Scientist
- Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance Member
- Small Cat Advocacy & Research Co-founder
Selected honours
- WCN Scholar 2017
- Cosmopolitan SL · 35 under 35 2020
- Powerhouse Women, Sri Lanka 2017
Research & Fieldwork
The secret life of city wildlife
My research uses GPS telemetry, camera-trapping and citizen science to understand how mesocarnivores — fishing cats, jungle cats and others — use the wetlands and canals threaded through a fast-growing city, and what they need to keep surviving there.
It's collaborative by design: shared with government agencies, conservation NGOs and a worldwide network of scientists working across the range of these species.
Publications
Plus popular writing, including “A Dance With Dragons” (Loris, 2017). add full list / link
Illustration
The cat family has 41 species. Just seven are the big cats everyone knows — the other 34 are small wild cats, elusive and largely unseen. Project Felidae is my ongoing illustrated series giving each of them a face, and a name.
Press & Features
Off-duty
When I'm not waist-deep in a wetland, I'm under a barbell or out-numbered by dogs.
Sirius and Vega are the loves of my life and my world more or less revolves around them. The rest of my spare time goes to powerlifting, drawing, and an indefensible enthusiasm for pop tarts.
Let's talk.
For research collaborations, talks, commissions, or just to say hello — I'd love to hear from you.
hello@anyaratnayaka.comconfirm email