ABOUT

Tatjana Baleta is a South African conservationist, science communicator, writer and lifelong biology nerd.Combining a scientific background with a love for nature’s sublime and bizarre, she works across conservation and storytelling to make science accessible, engaging and impactful.Her work spans international projects that champion biodiversity, people, and the connections between them.

SCIENTIST & CONSERVATIONIST

Curiosity first drove Tatjana to understand the natural world,
then to protect it.She holds a BSc in Ecology, Evolution and Genetics from the University of Cape Town, and an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from the University of Cambridge, awarded cum laude.Her conservation work has taken her from manta ray research in Mozambique and Indonesia to marine protected area research in South Africa, building a marine litter monitoring protocol for East Africa and advising NGOs on species prioritisation in South East Asia.Tatjana is also a PADI Dive Master and avid rock climber.

SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR

As a Wikimedia Fellow at the University of Exeter Global Systems Institute, Tatjana works with researchers and scientists to counter digital mis- and disinformation surrounding climate change.Her work focuses on making reliable scientific knowledge more accessible online, translating complex research into clear, engaging content that reaches millions of readers worldwide.

JOURNALIST & STORYTELLER

Tatjana writes about climate, biodiversity, and the natural world with a focus on stories that sit at the intersection of science, people, and environmental change. Her published reporting and feature writing (particularly on marine ecosystems and kelp forests) combines scientific depth with immersive storytelling.Recent articles include:
The power hiding in underwater forests (cover for TIME Magazine),
Unveiling biodiversity (Oceanographic Magazine),
SA scientists concerned as marine taxonomists become increasingly endangered species (The Daily Maverick).

• Writing Portfolio

PHOTOGRAPHER

Through photography, Tatjana documents both the natural world and the people drawn to it. Alongside documenting wild landscapes and marine environments, she is particularly drawn to adventure and extreme sports photography, especially climbing.

• Photography Portfolio