Ajay Tegala

Ajay Tegala
Born	(1989-08-03) 3 August 1989 (age 36) Chertsey, Surrey, England
Alma mater	Nottingham Trent University
Years active	2012–present
Relatives	Ashley Dodd (second cousin)
Website	ajaytegala.co.uk

Ajay Haywood Tegala (born 3 August 1989) is an English wildlife conservationist, presenter and author. He is known for his work as a National Trust ranger on Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire and Blakeney Point, Norfolk. ^{[1] [2]}

Early life

Ajay was born in Chertsey, Surrey to scientist Beverley and teacher TT ^[2] . He grew up in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. Ajay attended the Deepings School. ^[3] He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental Conservation and Countryside Management from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in 2011. ^{[4] [5]} He received the 2021 Outstanding Alumni Award from his alma mater. ^[6]

Career

At the age of fifteen, Ajay volunteered with the National Trust on Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, ^[7] inspiring him to pursue a career in nature conservation. During his degree, he did a work placement on Blakeney Point. ^[4] After graduating and a seasonal stint on Lindisfarne, he returned to both locations as a ranger. ^{[7] [2]} He secured the position on Blakeney Point in 2013, which he held until relocating to Wicken Fen in 2018. ^[8]

Ajay presented the 2020 BBC science documentary Inside the Bat Cave alongside Lucy Cooke. ^{[9] [10]}

In 2021, he joined the team of the BBC Two programme Springwatch . This included creating and presenting a short film about the common crane in East Anglia for the programme. ^[11] His debut book The Unique Life of a Ranger: Seasons of Change on Blakeney Point was published in 2022, which recounts his experiences as a coastal ranger. ^{[12] [13]}

Ajay collaborated with writer and broadcaster Zoë Howe on a project titled Witching the Wild Year. Themed around nature, folklore and the changing seasons, Witching the Wild Year began as a live show touring theatres and art centres around England in 2024. ^{[14] [15]} Also in 2024, Tegala's second book Wetland Diaries: Ranger Life and Rewilding on Wicken Fen, about his experiences as a fenland ranger, was published. ^{[16] [17]} Wetland Diaries was a Rewilding Britain pick for World Book Day 2025. ^[18] In 2024, Ajay became an ambassador for both Birda ^[19] and Green Jobs for Nature ^[20] and also for Butterfly Conservation ^[21] the following year.

In 2025, Ajay began co-hosting the National Trust's nature podcast Wild Tales with ranger Rosie Holdsworth. ^[22] Wild Tales became FeedSpot's #1 UK outdoor podcast of 2025 ^[23] and won silver for the Changemaker Award at Audio UK's Audio Production Awards (APAs). ^[24] Ajay was awarded the Freedom of the Parish of Deeping St James in April 2025. ^[25]

Ajay and Zoë Howe are currently developing Witching the Wild Year into a book, to be published by The History Press in 2027. ^[26]

Books

• The Unique Life of a Ranger: Seasons of Change on Blakeney Point (2022) ISBN   978-1-80399-029-3
• Wetland Diaries: Ranger Life and Rewilding on Wicken Fen (2024) ISBN   978-1-80399-348-5

References

1. West, Robby (21 July 2025). "Springwatch's Ajay Tegala backs Big Butterfly Count". BBC News. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
2. Briggs, Stacia (9 October 2022). "Ajay Tegala: The man who lived in the most isolated part of Norfolk". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
3. Baker, John (22 October 2020). "Conservationist's TV show will take us Inside the Bat Cave". Peterborough Matters. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
4. "Ajay Tegala". Nottingham Trent University. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
5. "Straight to the point". North Norfolk Living. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
6. "Outstanding Alumni Awards". Nottingham Trent University. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
7. "Get to know Ajay Tegala". Cotswold Door. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
8. "The remarkable story of a local ranger". KL Magazine. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
9. "Ajay Tegala". BBC Wildlife Magazine. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
10. "Wicken Fen conservationist to host BBC Two documentary Into The Batcave ahead of Halloween". Cambridge Independent. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
11. Brackley, Paul (25 May 2021). "BBC Springwatch 2021: Wicken Fen ranger Ajay Tegala joins the team". Cambridge Independent. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
12. Shersby, Megan (9 August 2022). "Blakeney Point: Ajay Tegala on the life of a ranger". BBC Wildlife Magazine. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
13. "Wicken Fen ranger tells unique stories of conservation in new book". Cambridge Independent. 27 August 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
14. Redwood, Francis (25 September 2025). "Ajay Tegala and Zoë Howe to host event at Kirk Theatre, York". The Press. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
15. "Witching the Wild Year With Ajay Tegala and Zoë Howe". All Electric Productions. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
16. Avery, Mark (25 February 2024). "Sunday book review – Wetland Diaries by Ajay Tegala". Mark Avery: Standing Up for Nature. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
17. lindasbookbag (2024-05-14). "Wetland Diaries by Ajay Tegala". Linda's Book Bag. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
18. "Celebrate World Book Day the wild way". Rewilding Britain. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
19. Cunningham, Sarah (25 September 2024). "Ajay Tegala Takes on Birda Ambassador Role". Birda. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
20. Heppenstall, Brian (8 August 2024). "The future of Green Jobs for Nature – Increasing Skills, Capacity and Diversity". CJS. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
21. "An interview with Butterfly Conservation ambassador Ajay Tegala". Butterfly Conservation. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
22. "Wild Tales nature podcast". National Trust. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
23. "25 Best UK Outdoor Podcasts". FeedSpot. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
24. "Winners announced for the APAs from AudioUK 2025 | Audio UK" . Retrieved 2025-12-01.
25. Baillie, Maddy (7 May 2025). "Wildlife presenter Ajay Tegala presented Freedom of the Parish of Deeping St James". Lincs Online. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
26. "Zoë Howe". Royal Literary Fund. Retrieved 2025-12-01.