In 1996 WHT commenced a systematic survey of Sri Lanka's small mammals, something that had never before been done. The aim of the project was to map the distributions in Sri Lanka of important but neglected groups of small mammals, principally the rodents, shrews and bats, and devise a conservation strategy. Several other endemic species too, occur in the island. The WHT project has succeeded not only in 'mapping' the distributions of all these species, but also, for the first time ever, in photographing them in life, in their natural habitat. We are now investigating the ecology and reproductive biology of several key species, studies that will yield important information that will facilitate conservation planning.
Many species are exceedingly rare, and little is known of their biology and distribution.
Though no bat species are known to be endemic to Sri Lanka, studies are necessary to determine the ranges of occupation of individual species and factors that might threaten bat populations. WHT's small mammal research has resulted in much new information on Sri Lanka's bat diversity and ecology. These bats employ high-frequency sound waves to locate their insect prey, a biological example of 'sonar'.