by Shyamala Ratnayeke
Page 1 : Studying Sri Lanka's Carnivores
Carnivores frequently serve as "umbrella" species for conservation incentives. They occupy the highest position in the food chain, and consequently require relatively large areas to maintain viable populations. Mammalian carnivores generally exist at relatively low densities, and have low reproductive rates. Not surprisingly, several of the Carnivora are among the world’s most endangered species.
There are fourteen species of Carnivora in Sri Lanka, and at least four of them are known or suspected to be vulnerable, threatened, or endangered (see table below). One species (Paradoxurus zeylonensis) is endemic to the island. Because Sri Lanka has been isolated from the Indian mainland for over 10,000 years, it is likely that several of the other carnivores constitute subspecies unique to the island. In Sri Lanka, carnivore populations are especially vulnerable to decline because of rapid habitat loss and fragmentation, conflicts with humans, or poaching.
The ecology, status, and distribution of carnivores in Sri Lanka is largely unknown. Appropriate conservation and management of these animals by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation has been limited by lack of such information. The most urgent questions are: (1) what is the current status of mammalian carnivores in existing habitats?, and (2) which areas and what habitat characteristics might harbor a greater diversity of carnivore species?
Carnivores of Sri Lanka
| Family | Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Canidae | Golden jackal | Canis aureus |
| Ursidae | Sloth bear* | Melursus ursinus |
| Mustelidae | European otter* | Lutra lutra |
| Viverridae | Small Indian civet | Viverricula indica |
| Common palm civet | Paradoxurus hermaphroditus | |
| Golden palm civet | P. zeylanicus | |
| Herpestidae | Indian grey mongoose | Herpestes edwardsii |
| Indian brown mongoose | H. fuscus | |
| Indian ruddy mongoose | H. smithii | |
| Stripe-necked mongoose | H. vitticollis | |
| Felidae | Jungle cat | Felis chaus |
| Rusty spotted cat* | F. rubiginosa | |
| Fishing cat | F.viverrina | |
| Leopard* | Panthera pardus | |
| * Known or suspected to be vulnerable, threatened, or endangered | ||
The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) supports ecological study of the Sri Lankan Carnivora. NSF also supported an initial planning/feasibility study in the summer of 2000 that helped lay the groundwork for the current study. In 2002, we began a 2-year study to determine the distribution, species richness and relative abundance of carnivores in two areas in Sri Lanka using remote-camera stations, a relatively non-intrusive technique especially suitable for studying species that are secretive and nocturnal.
The study will provide information on the distribution, status, basic ecology and habitat relationships of carnivores at two ecologically different sites in Sri Lanka—Wasgomuwa and Yala National Parks—and uncover some of the ecological mechanisms underlying carnivore diversity in tropical areas. Besides providing the first quantifiable information on some Sri Lankan carnivores, the data will be used to develop coarse-scale habitat distribution maps, which in turn will help identify priority areas for carnivore conservation. This information should serve as an initial framework to develop conservation plans for carnivores in Sri Lanka.
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