Imagine reporting on the illegal wildlife trade in California or Indigenous efforts to restore wild rice in the Great Lakes — all from a desk on an island in the middle of the Atlantic. That's the daily reality for Spoorthy Raman, a staff writer for Mongabay, who calls St. John's, Newfoundland, home.
From this Canadian outpost, Raman connects with scientists and conservationists globally, piecing together the planet's ecological narrative, one perspective at a time. It's a job that requires a particular kind of geographic flexibility, proving you don't need to be in the jungle to tell its story.
Before joining Mongabay as an intern in 2022, Raman cut her teeth in science communication, with bylines in Hakai, Audubon, and even Nature. Her work has already snagged a few accolades, including a Digital Publishing Award in 2024. Not bad for someone who's basically reporting from a rock in the ocean.
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Start Your News DetoxNow a full-time fixture on Mongabay's Wildlife Desk, Raman dives deep into biodiversity, animal behavior, and the grim realities of wildlife trade and poaching. She's frank about the toll it takes, noting that images of dead wildlife are a stark reminder of the immense loss we're facing.
Among her hundred-plus stories, a few stand out. There's her reporting on Indigenous communities bringing wild rice back to the Great Lakes region, a quiet but powerful act of ecological restoration. Then there's the jarring exposé on California's thriving illegal wildlife trade, often fueled by the demand for exotic pets. Because apparently, a regular dog just won't cut it for some people.
She's also knee-deep in an ongoing series, which, if her past work is any indication, will likely make you think, cringe, and then immediately want to tell someone about it.
