Farida Tampal, State Director of WWF-India, on her passion for conservation

Farida Tampal, State Director of WWF-India, sheds light on her passion for conservation and how it all began

The next in the monthly series by WWF-India that highlights niche and unconventional green careers through the stories of well-known personalities from the field of environment and conservation

Growing up in Mumbai, my connection with Nature began early. My house was near Borivali National Park, which became our go-to picnic spot during vacations. I often spent my weekends exploring the park, learning about birds, butterflies, and snakes. My love for the outdoors deepened while pursuing B.Sc. in Zoology, especially during a final-year field trip to Lakshadweep, to study the marine ecosystem. I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to ecology.

So, I enrolled in a Master’s in Ecology at Pondicherry Central University. I was so eager to get in that I convinced myself I had to outperform every other candidate in the entrance exam. Over the years, I have strengthened my expertise with certifications in tropical forest restoration, stakeholder engagement, and conservation essentials.

My career has taken me across India, from working as a Research Associate at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Tamil Nadu to engaging in environmental education initiatives in Mumbai. As my journey continued, I took on roles with WWF-India in West Bengal and later in Hyderabad, where I now serve as the State Director. The diversity of experiences has helped me understand conservation challenges across different landscapes and communities.

A typical workday is dynamic, balancing office responsibilities, meetings with government departments, public engagements, and field visits to forests across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The most exciting part is being outdoors, learning from people, especially tribal communities who have an incredible understanding of their environment. I’m also passionate about engaging with students, as their challenging questions keep me on my toes and encourage me to stay updated. Citizen science is something I strongly advocate for, as it plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between people and Nature.

One of the biggest challenges in conservation is changing people’s attitudes. Many remain indifferent to environmental issues, making it vital to educate them. To address this, I focus on education through talks and training programmes. Convincing policymakers to adopt science-based decisions is another hurdle, as short-term priorities often overshadow long-term sustainability. I tackle this by advocating for evidence-based policymaking, ensuring that conservation efforts are backed by solid data.

Despite these challenges, my journey has been full of rewarding experiences and moments of joy. One memorable incident took place in a wetland, where my colleagues and I were documenting plants and animals. Suddenly, one of my colleagues slipped and fell and like a pack of cards, one by one, we all followed suit! No matter how hard we tried, we kept slipping and falling. It was both frustrating and hilarious, and we couldn’t stop laughing at the sight of each other tumbling down!