Horror Stories from the Arctic

One on oil drilling in the Arctic that appeared on my Gocomics page last month, here.

Coincidentally, today also happens to be Polar Bear Day!

The Vaquita on Nature TV

Entrapment in illegal gillnets meant for catching Totoaba,a critically 

endangered fish valued in Chinese medicine, has brought the Vaquita, a 

rare porpoise found in the Gulf of California, on the verge of extinction.

The cartoon appeared in my fortnightly with The Hindu BLink this weekend- http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/blink/takeaway/article6916139.ece

Air Pollution in Delhi

A cartoon on the air pollution in Delhi published in Nat Geo Traveller's travel humour section today-

http://www.natgeotraveller.in/web-exclusive/web-exclusive-month/travel-humour-delhi-pollution/

The Big Four!

India’s ‘Big Four’ venomous snakes- the Spectacled Cobra, the Common Krait, the Russell’s Viper and the Saw-scaled Viper are the ones that reportedly cause the highest number of annual snake bites, but are at the same time extremely beautiful and misunderstood. Here is a caricatured compilation of these four critters-

The Common Krait

Even though the venom of the krait is considered among the most potent, it is a very docile creature. It can be told from the similar looking wolf snake by the absence of a loreal shield. The diet of the krait includes snakes such as blind snakes and wolf snakes, rodents and lizards. It inhabits a wide range of habitats from scrub forests to human habitation.

The Russell’s Viper

The Russell’s Viper’s distinct patterns and colouration make it an easy snake to identify, but its behaviour makes it equally difficult to handle. When threatened, it forms a series of loops, raising the upper boy and producing the loudest hiss for any snake! Their affiliation to rodent prey often lands them in close contact with humans, resulting in conflict.

The Saw-scaled Viper

This viper’s namesake- the saw-shaped scales, enable its distinctive threat display- forming a series of coils and rubbing the scales together, producing a sizzling sound (the act has a name- stridulation!). The more agitated the snake is, the faster it stridulates. Saw-scaled Vipers are the smallest among the big four and occur primarily in dry and arid regions.

The Spectacled Cobra

India’s most loved snake, the Spectacled Cobra is revered in mythology and hence often finds itself in trouble at the hands of snake charmers. The spectacle-shaped pattern on the hood gives the snake its name. It inhabits all kinds of terrain- forests, cultivation, hiding in tree holes or termite mounds in the day and becoming active at night.

Prints and merchandise available on my webstore here.

For orders within India, the compilation is available as A3 posters, along with coffee mugs and fridge magnets- 

A2 Posters (loose)- Rs. 1200 each
Mounted Posters (A3- Individual species and compilation)- Rs. 2000

Loose Posters (A3- Individual species and compilation)- Rs. 400 for the first copy and Rs. 100 for the second copy onwards

Fridge Magnets (small) (Printed in sets of 4)- the entire set for Rs. 1000

Fridge Magnets (large) (3” x 4”, Printed in sets of 4)- the entire set for Rs. 1200

Coffee Mug (Compilation)- Rs. 850

Orders can be placed by mailing me at rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com. Please note that I am shipping only within India at the moment.

Sarju and Sajni- Sarus Cranes for WTI

Among the recent, very exciting projects I have been doing for the Wildlife Trust of India was a poster on Sarus Cranes and their role in the ecosystem. Sarus Cranes are the tallest flying birds in the world, and mate for life, and are hence revered in Indian mythology as symbols of marital fidelity. As the poster points out, the cranes face several conservation threats,. The poster is scheduled to be distributed to government schools in Uttar Pradesh, where the Sarus is the state bird. The Hindi translation of the poster by Jugnu Shardeya (I love the closing line!) can be seen here- 

A walk with Shamsher the Tiger through Dudhwa

Give me five! Elated to let you all know that a comic book that I've done for the Wildlife Trust of India is out now, being distributed to school students in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, which is home to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Here are some previews of the covers and the back cover. The booklet is a 12 page short story (translated in Hindi) about Shamsher, a tiger-cum-naturalist who takes two school kids through Dudhwa, and the various animals they sight on the trek including Shamsher's flame Sheela!

For more information, visit http://www.wildlifetrustofindia.org/

Pole meets pole

Another one on climate change that appeared in Saevus magazine's January issue, in which I had compiled a page with cartoons on climate change. 

The Polar Bear Cartoon Cliche

Bye-bye, Man on an Island. Here's the newest cartoon cliche, thanks to global warming! Published in Saevus magazine last month.

Looking Ahead

I know I'm breaking the vow of never drawing politicians in my cartoons, but some things just need to be said! This cartoon on the recent development frenzy appears in The Hindu BLink today- http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/blink/know/article6864738.ece

More about what the cartoon speaks of here in an excellent summary by Quartz.

Bird caricatures for Ganjam Jewellers, Bangalore

How often do you come across an enterprise which is inclined to promote conservation and awareness without any self-advertisement? I happened to be lucky to have an illustration project commissioned by one such enterprise- Ganjam Jewellers in Bangalore. Their upcoming showroom overlooks the UB City Mall and this is where 11 of my bird caricatures are being displayed for about a month or so, starting today!

Here are the 11 caricatures- the Asian Paradise Flycatcher, the Black Baza, the Greater Flamingo, the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, the Great Hornbill, the Green Bee-eater, the Indian Peafowl, the Indian Pitta, the Indian Roller, the Painted Stork, and the Rufous Treepie.

Since the panels were in a vertical, elongated orientation, the birds were chosen to anatomically occupy the entire length of the panels. Here are some of the snaps I took today after getting into a tussle with the watchmen at UB City who wouldn't let me take pictures!

A huge thanks to Dr. Asad Rahmani of the BNHS for recommending me for the project. If you're in Bangalore this month, do visit the place and have a glance!

How to Dump your Boyfriend like an Environment Hero

Note- The woman's expressions look even more terrifying in the print. A3/ A4 posters available.

Tiger populations rise

One on the recent rise in tiger populations in India, published in The Hindu's BLink this weekend- http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/blink/takeaway/article6838973.ece