The Underground Life of Moles

Moles are wonderfully adapted for a fossorial life! Here are some facts about these wiggly mammals from my page with the Turkish kids' magazine Arastirmaci Cocuk this month.

Vote for the Weaver Ant

Weaver ants are highly social, arboreal ants renowned for weaving nests from the silk produced by their larvae. From my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Bimini Biological Field Station

(Click on the image for a larger view)

Until December 2018, Dr. Samuel Gruber's name was something I associated with shark research. It was only after the book 'Shark Doc, Shark Lab' was sent to me as reference material for this project that I learned that Dr. Gruber isn't just any shark researcher but among the very pioneers of elasmobranch science. Blending his passion for adventure with science,  Dr. Gruber used some very revolutionary, out-of-the-box and even seemingly outlandish techniques to track, study and conserve his life-long muse, the Lemon Shark, and most science that exists around this remarkable animal today can be traced back to his efforts. Among his many accomplishments are battling cancer twice, and breaking every convention to establish the Bimini Biological Field Station in The Bahamas, dedicated to marine biology.

This illustration, commissioned by the Save our Seas Foundation is a representation of the BBFS and the marine wildlife of Bimini in North Bahamas, and is being used at the field station for conservation education and awareness. 

Dr. Gruber breathed his last on the 18th of April, 2019. While I regret never having met him, I cannot be more thankful to the Save Our Seas Foundation for giving me the privilege of having Dr. Gruber know of my work.  Referred to as 'Doc' lovingly by his peers, Dr. Gruber features in my illustration with his muse, the Lemon Shark. 

The White bellied Heron

Could a bird that you never even knew existed, be an indicator of the relationship between two neighbouring countries? The bird itself tells you how.

The comic appears in my column with The Hindu.

Netflix and Krill

On Netflix, 'Our Planet' and overpopulation, from my column with Sunday Mid-day.

Coastal Fauna- Posters for UNDP

A series of posters I designed for school kids, for the World Wildlife Day event hosted by the UNDP, were displayed at the event. Thanks to the UNDP India team for commissioning the designs.

Feminist Hornbill

Feminist hornbill- from my column with RoundGlass Sustain. Read more about hornbills here.

Spider tailed Horned Viper

Meet the Spider-tailed Horned Viper of Iran. From my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Green Turtle lays eggs on Maldives Runway

A Green Turtle in the Noonu Atoll of the Maldives returned to her nesting site recently, only to find a newly constructed runway. The helpless turtle, whose instinct guides her to the same nesting grounds year after year, was forced to lay her eggs on the runway.

Valparai Natural History Map

(Clcik on the image for a larger view)

The Valparai Plateau in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district, is unique in many ways. Located in the Anamalai Hill range of the Western Ghats, the plateau is largely owned by private tea and coffee estates. And yet, Valparai is home to a wide variety of endemic and endangered fauna. Rainforest fragments interconnected by tracts passing through agricultural estates provide habitats and corridors for Asian Elephants, Gaurs, Lion-tailed Macaques and small carnivores, while offering nesting spaces to Great Hornbills, Malabar Grey Honrbills, the endemic White-bellied Shortwing, and a variety of herpetofauna and insects. 

Commissioned by the Nature Conservation Foundation, I visited Valparai in December 2017 over this project, visiting NCF's field sites, guided by two of my most admired people in ecology- Dr. Divya Mudappa and Dr. TR Shankar Raman. NCF has been doing extensive and exemplary work in the region, spanning a range of projects such as rainforest regeneration, providing a safe passage for elephants, monitoring hornbill nests, and conserving Lion-tailed Macaques. The project gave me a chance not only to witness the landscape in greater detail, but also learn from the two veterans, as well as Dr. M Ananda Kumar, whose work has been instrumental in reducing human-elephant conflict in the region. Read more about NCF's work here. 

NCF has a beautiful interpretation centre at Iyerpadi, Valparai, where two of my projects (including this illustration) are up for display. Make sure you visit the centre the next time you're here; not just because it has beautiful artwork and merchandise but also because it's a great place to see the rare Nilgiri Marten! 

Here are some elements from the map:

Greta Meets Trump, Bolsonaro and Modi

What if Greta Thunberg were to have a meeting with three of the world''s greatest environmental offenders?

BJP's 2019 manifesto includes a total of a mere three points under the environment category, all of which are completely irrelevant to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources. Urging readers to vote wisely this election.

Smashing Patriarchy with Spotted hyenas

Come, laugh with the Spotted Hyenas! Comic from my column with Sunday-Mid-Day.

Prints available on my webstore here. (For orders within India, A3 posters are available for INR 500 for the first print, and 200 for the second copy onwards. Emial me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com to place an order).

The Marine Life of Mumbai Protests against Coastal Reclamation

Citizens' protests against coastal reclamation in Mumbai are falling on deaf ears, and construction carries on uninterrupted despite several civic bodies challenging the reclamation in court. So, the marine life of Mumbai has decided to step in!

Comic from my column with The Hindu. Please remember to run a check on your favoured political party/candidate's environmental track record before you cast your vote this election. 

Similarities between Forest Guards and Leopards

Some similarities between leopards and forest guards. Comic from my column with Saevus Magazine.

Greenland Sharks on Instagram

A comic on the Greenland Shark's lifespan from my column with RoundGlass Sustain. A Greenland Shark reported to be 512 years old has been found in the Arctic recently, which makes it the world's longest living vertebrate!