Kathmandu, August 28 A three-day South Asian conference on conservation of small mammals began here yesterday with the theme ‘Small Mammals: Sustaining Ecology and Economy in South Asia’. This is the first ever conference on small mammals in South Asia organised by Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University. According to organisers, 105 participants from 10 different countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Taiwan, USA, UK, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Nepal, are attending the conference. The objectives of the conference are to facilitate exchange of information regarding results in research on the conservation of small mammals by expanding the network of like-minded people and updating the data on small mammals, building capacity. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prabhu Budathoki, member of the National Planning Commission, said there was a huge knowledge gap on the status of small mammals and therefore the conference was very critical. He asked participants to come up with key recommendations that would facilitate landscape-based conservation. Similarly, Man Bahadur Khadka, director general, Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, said the government had drafted an action plan on small mammals which would be implemented soon.