Mumbai: Theoretically, anyone with love for the barren region or a professional on nature can be known as a naturalist. Practically, the definition desires to be pushed to include rigorous education, information of the herbal international, the expertise of animal behavior, tracking competencies, managing a four-wheeler on rocky terrain, acquiring guiding competencies and feature a strong urge to keep the surroundings.
Conventionally, the task is male-ruled until in 2006 New Delhi-based Ratna Singh burst into the scene and bagged the badge of India’s first woman naturalist.
At a time while the function of a naturalist become no longer even etched well, Ratna wanted to come to be one.
As a little female, Ratna took several jungle safari rides with the circle of relatives and dreamt of becoming a naturalist.
She took formal schooling and right now got the opportunity to enroll in a large safari company. Her adventure started out to discover nature’s secrets.
Jungle lifestyles
Away from town chaos, Ratna discovered a feel of belonging in jungles.
“I just like the city for brief interludes, movies, buying and so forth. However, I even have a unique situation of having a domestic in the jungles… A city goes to simplest makes me admire the jungle so much more,’’ Ratna stated.
“The lengthy and in-depth naturalist training has fashioned a persona,” said Ratna. A health enthusiast, country-wide level judo and basketball participant, Ratna believes she turned into tailored for the activity.
What thrills her approximately the jungle is likewise its unpredictability. “In the jungles, you in no way recognize what sort of an afternoon you’ll have at work,” she introduced.
Women in Wilderness
Women naturalists were hard to come back using while Ratna entered the profession. People have been now not used to seeing a female within the wasteland, monitoring animals, dealing with a safari vehicle, and guiding human beings. But the scenario is slowly converting. “I am so happy to say many girls are operating, in what become more often than not a male bastion. Even higher, the roles are increasing or even jobs of trackers or park publications are actively being pursued with the aid of women,” Ratna says.
Family and work
The prestigious moniker of being ‘India’s first ladies naturalist’ did not come easy. Family might have been a dampener, but her husband is also in the same career.
Nevertheless, a balance had to be struck in snatching the ‘us’ time from the grueling schedules.
Ratna does pass over circle of relatives and pals while she is away for long stints, however justifies: “There is no career these days that doesn’t require some amount of traveling faraway from home… If not, then it’s miles my love for the wild,” she says.
