Zai Whitaker grew up in a family of naturalists that included her father Zafar Futehally and granduncle Sálim Ali, India’s original Birdman. Not surprisingly, conversations, holidays and outings often centred around birds. Zai has written twenty books including Andamans Boy, Kali and the Rat Snake, and the recent Termite Fry. She has also written extensively about the Irular snake catchers, and started the Irular Women’s Society which focuses on Irular women’s economic and social empowerment. She lives and works at the Croc Bank outside Chennai, where she is the managing trustee.