Ajay Tegala is a wildlife television and podcast presenter, author, ranger and conservationist. He has a degree in Environmental Conservation and over a decade of experience working in the sector. Ajay is a natural communicator, his knowledge and infectious enthusiasm is always well-received by television companies. He is also a voice-over artist.
BBC 2’s groundbreaking documentary Inside the Bat Cave showcases Ajay’s enthusiasm for bats, citizen science and public engagement. His five-minute Springwatch film about the comeback of the common crane was very well received, just like his popular books The Unique Life of a Ranger and Wetland Diaries. Other TV credits include the CBeebies show Teeny Tiny Creatures.
Ajay has chalked-up over 25 television appearances across the five main channels, including the popular BBC nature programmes Countryfile, Coast, Winterwatch and a live appearance on Springwatch: Unsprung alongside Chris Packham and Will Young. He featured on Walking Through History with Tony Robinson for Channel 4 and has appeared on Homes by the Sea. Ajay took part in the BBC animal quiz show hosted by Kate Humble, Curious Creatures, appearing on a winning team with Chris Packham. He also took on the BBC Eggheads as part of a celebrity science team and won his head-to-head round, although the team didn’t quite beat the eggheads overall, it certainly made for nail-biting viewing in the final round.
Other credits include Walking Through History and Homes by the Sea for Channel Four as well as several appearances on BBC Look East, ITV Anglia News, plus a regular wildlife spot on Radio Cambridgeshire. Other radio credits include Living World and Ramblings with Clare Balding. Ajay is a nature presenter on the award-winning Wild Tales podcast by the National Trust and also contributed to numerous other successful podcasts, including Get Birding, Into The Wild, Rock ‘n Roll Birder and The Plodcast.
Ranger and Conservationist
Ajay has worked in nature conservation for well over a decade. As a countryside ranger, he earned respect on Britain’s first coastal reserve, Blakeney Point in Norfolk (the subject of his first book, Ranger). Ajay currently works on Britain’s very first nature reserve, Wicken Fen (the topic of his second book, Wetland Diaries), alongside 100 Konik ponies, 50 Highland cattle and a host of special wildlife including important wetland bird populations that he protects, manages and monitors. He shares his career experience and advice as a Green Jobs For Nature ambassador. Ajay is also an ambassador for Butterfly Conservation, having been monitoring butterflies in East Anglian for 15 years.
Author and Speaker
At home leading wildlife walks and illustrated talks, Ajay is an engaging speaker, drawing on his unique experiences as a ranger. He is also a nature writer, having contributed articles to British Birds journal, the popular BBC Wildlife and Countryfile magazines plus numerous blogs, including for the RSPBC. His first book The Unique Life of a Ranger was published in 2022, sharing his experiences safeguarding beach-nesting birds and managing England’s largest Grey Seal breeding colony. The book boasts a foreword by Megan McCubbin and has been described by Chris Packham as “an insight into the important work rangers do to protect our vulnerable wildlife and habitats”. He has subsequently written the highly praised Wetland Diaries. In 2023, Ajay and Zoë Howe formed a partnership, creating the touring live almanac Witching the Wild Year, blending together folklore, nature and magic.
Background
Growing up in East Anglia, Ajay became interested in wetland wildlife, developing a love of the fenland landscape and a passion for its conservation. Through his career in environmental conservation, he went on to work with breeding seabirds, in particular terns, contributing to national monitoring programmes. He has also studied wildflowers and seals, managing England’s largest Grey Seal rookery during a period of incredible population growth. Ajay currently resides on the Norfolk-Cambridgeshire border, surrounded by wild swans and cranes in winter. During the summer, Ajay conducts wildlife surveys in the Norfolk Broads, monitoring and championing habitat creation for nature on farmland.
Having studied Environmental Conservation and Countryside Management at Nottingham Trent University, Ajay was presented with an Outstanding Alumni Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to society since graduating from the university.
In his spare time, Ajay conducts wildlife surveys on farmland in the Norfolk Broads, championing and monitoring the success of habitat creation for nature on farms. He has a great love for the East Anglian landscape, is passionate about conservation grazing and fenland habitat restoration.
With a rich and clear voice, Ajay is a natural voice-over artist. A seasoned BBC director described a recording with Ajay as the most efficient voice-over session of his entire career.
