Dr Latika Nath – Nat Geo's Tiger Princess: Pioneering Conservation and Studying Big Cats in the Wild

From the jungles of India to the global stage of wildlife conservation, Dr Latika Nath has spent her life studying and protecting big cats, becoming the first woman in the world to study tigers in the wild. Known as Nat Geo's "Tiger Princess," she shares stories from deep in the forests where she observed tigers using tools, hunting porcupines, and navigating complex human-wildlife conflicts. In this episode, Latika takes us on her journey from a childhood spent exploring the outdoors to pursuing her dream in a male-dominated field, studying elephants and tigers in the wild. She shares the challenges of working in remote areas, the lessons learned from female tigers, and her tireless efforts to combat poaching. We also dive into her work as a conservation photographer, using images to tell stories that inspire action, and her advice for women and girls aiming to make their mark in conservation. Latika's story is one of courage, dedication, and the belief that one person's passion can make a world of difference. This episode is for you if: You love wildlife and big cats You're curious about conservation and sustainability You want inspiration from a trailblazing woman in a male-dominated field You're motivated by stories of courage, resilience, and following your passions ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Dr Latika Working as a Conservation Ecologist and conservation photographer  Being based out of Indian  Studying big cats all over the world  Using her photography to share stories about conservation  Working as an expert on Tourism and sustainability Working with the Indian Planning Commission as an in-house advisor  Being an only child and spending most of her time outdoors  Living close to a National Park Deciding at 6 years old that she wanted to be an ecologist  Being encouraged to pursue her dreams People in the 1970s not knowing what an ecologist was Not being able to study the subjects she wanted to Being a girl in a male dominated field Being the first woman in the world to study tigers Moving over to the UK to continue her education at Bangor University, Wales Doing her masters thesis on elephant and human conflict in Indian  How elephants follow the old memories Her passion and interest in tigers Wanting to study snow leopards initially Terrorism in Kashmir and how it changed the direction of her life Being inspired by Dr HS Pabla The tiger population in India currently  Project tiger - being responsible for the conservation of the tiger in the wild Being the only person in the park and being truly on her own in the wild with the animals  What it was like studying the tigers and the relationships that developed Discovering new knowledge about tigers Seeing tigers using tools How tigers eat porcupines  The expedition logistics Lessons learned from female tigers  The biggest danger to tigers going forward How to combat poaching  Getting the nickname - The Tiger Princess Being filmed by National Geographic for a 1hr documentary  Advice and tips for women and girls who want to enter the space of conservation  Advice for women around self belief and self confidence and why there work is important What's next for Dr Lakita Writing her next book Having a photography expedition in London in June 2026 How to connect with Dr Lakita Final words of advice around following your passions and interests Having good days and bad days - go one day, one step at a time and why it can make a big difference  Hang in there and take that one step everyday   Social Media Website: www.latikanath.com  Instagram: @latikanath Facebook: @nathlatika