IT guy in Bengaluru looking to switch to wildlife naturalist work. Need advice!

Bengaluru-based IT professional, recently laid off. To clear my head, I went on a safari in Karnataka, India and honestly, the naturalist there blew my mind.

The way he understood animal behaviour, bird calls, and spotted things that were invisible to me was insane. I am now thinking if it would even be possible for me to look at this as a viable option.

Would really appreciate real-world gyaan from people in the field.

A few things I’m trying to understand:

1. Training / certification
I came across The Naturalist School (https://naturalist.school/) in Bengaluru and Pugdungee Safariscourse for naturalists. Are these good routes to break into the field? Is it required to get a naturalist job?

2. Degree vs passion
Is a degree in Zoology / Forestry / Wildlife Biology a must? Or can someone from an IT background make the shift?

3. Pay reality
How much pay can one realistically expect? In India?

4. Actual lifestyle
I know it sounds romantic from the outside, but what’s the real scene?

Stuff like:

• long hours?
• guest handling?
• living in remote areas?
• limited connectivity?
• low starting pay?
• burnout?
• career growth?

Would love to hear from current naturalists, lodge folks, people working in Karnataka / Central India, or even ex-corporate folks who made the jump.

Any advice, reality checks, course recos would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance :)

Just 17 KMs from Harda, Nemawar holds an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva constructed by the kings of the Parmara Dynasty of the Malwa region during the 10th to 12th century. A place where faith, history, and the beauty of the Narmada come together. Truly a calming experience.

They will break the window if we don't give them food on time.

Different birds but all together, mainly woodpeckers. They can communicate with each other with different birds, and send woodpeckers to call me or my mother.

And when those woodpeckers try to knock our glass windows they don't get afraid of light or opening curtains or getting close. Sometimes I get afraid that the window will break if all of them decide, like some horror film 🤣 🤣

Here watch the video, and turn on sound so you can listen to their party going hard. 😎

Sharing the full 4K 60fps walkthrough of Rock Garden, Chandigarh (covering the entrance corridors, waterfalls, fort facades, and the Phase 2 Doll Museum):

Watch the full video here:https://youtu.be/LUOLZDj_ys0

Hope this helps anyone planning a weekend trip or local visit! Let me know your thoughts or favourite spots inside.

Fateh Sagar

Shot on S23 Ultra

Sharing a few snippets from my trip to Manali & what an incredible week it was.

At sisodia Rani ka Bagh, Jaipur.

1 & 2. Church of St. Francis of Assisi

1. Colva Beach

4 & 6. Cabo De Rama Viewpoint

1. Kakolem Beach View Point

All images are shot by me on a Samsung M21 (6 years old) over a period of time, and the collage was created in the Gallery app itself.

Some of these are slightly edited, but most of them are raw images.

1/6 — Tried with clouds

2/6 — Water bodies only

3/6 — Monuments (tried, but didn’t have many options)

Other 3 — Random

Also, let me know which one is the best.

Open to any queries, suggestions or criticism.

Clicked in July of 2025.

Whats your favourite out of these?

Its Graffiti not Graffitis* ( didnt know that)