Zai Whitaker  went to school and college in Mumbai, then moved to Chennai where she worked at the Chennai Snake Park and Crocodile Bank for many years. She has also lived in Papua New Guinea, and now teaches at the Kodaikanal International School. Zai's interests are natural history, writing, and teaching. Her books Andamans Boy and Kali and the Rat Snake have been published by Tulika. Dutch and German rights for the first book and North American and Canadian rights for the second, have been sold. She is one of the founding members of the Irula Women’s Society, which helps women from the Irula tribe of hunter-gatherers.

Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; daughter of Zafar and Laeeq Futehali; married Rom Whitaker (a naturalist), 1974; children: two sons.