More than one hundred species of mammals are found only in the Philippines, making this island nation home to some of the richest mammal life in the world. Working with colleagues from Philippine institutions, Larry Heaney studies the distribution and ecology of the animals of Philippine rain forests. The results of this research are now being used by the Philippine government in their effort to identify the best sites for new nature reserves and national parks.

Larry Heaney was born in Washington D.C., where he worked as a volunteer and intern at the Smithsonian. He studied at the University of Minnesota and the University of Kansas.