Dr Tatayah has been active in conservation for over 25 years. He is also the co-chair of the IUCN Mascarene Island Plant Specialist Group and a member of several other Specialist Groups.
He trained in agriculture before joining conservation. He has conducted a doctoral study on the Round Island Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana), uncovering the first ever recorded vertebrate species complex composed of a three (or four) way hybrid.