Porcupine Crests

On porcupine crests from my column with Roundglass Sustain. India has three species of porcupines: the Indian Crested, the Himalayan (Malayan) Crestless, and the Asiatic Brush-tailed porcupine. 

Congo Cobalt and Climate Justice

How sustainable really is 'sustainable technology' when it is linked to human rights violations in Central Africa? Read how cobalt mining is at the heart of the 2023 Congolese conflict here. 

Cartoon from my column with The Hindu.

Tibetan Fox and Climate Change

You're being watched, and judged, by the judgy eyes of a Tibetan Fox. From the roof of the world.

Comic from my column with Roundglass Sustain. 

Bomberman Biden

Bomberman Biden and COP28 commitments. Cartoon from my Gocomics.

Chevella Banyans of Hyderabad

In a rare victory for trees, Hyderabad's environment activists have bought breathing time for the 100 years old banyans of Chevella which were on the brink of being axed for the widening of a highway. The National Green Tribunal has now sought an environment impact assessment from the National Highway Authority of India before touching the banyans. Cartoon from my column with The Hindu.

Welcome to the Dubai COP 28

Calling the shots at the UN climate conference, COP 28, will be the who's who of the fossil fuel industry, and world leaders accused of environmental negligence, social injustice, and even warcrimes against humanity!

Will COP 28 turn out to be comedy show or a horror comedy altogether?

Cartoon for DW Environment.

Owl headsets

Are you the headset kind or the airpod kind?

The Short-eared Owl meets the Long-eared Owl. Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain. 

White's Seahorses and the Sydney Seahorse Project

White's Seahorses, endemic to southwest Pacific, and now receiving some much-needed royal treatment at 'seahorse hotels', thanks to the Sydney Seahorse Project! 

Comic from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

The Little Ringed Plover

On a cold December morning in 2021 at the Vena Lake in my hometown Nagpur, I observed a cheerful Little Ringed Plover perform a strange dance: repeated wiggling of the foot followed by pecking the mud. It was clear that this was an improvised hunting strategy, but how exactly it was working, I was not sure. A quick search led me to this paper and I discovered that this behaviour is a little more than just an improvised hunting strategy: the bird’s trembling foot could either be driving out hidden worms and insects directly, or altering the thixotropic properties of wet sand, turning it into liquid, and making catching a juicy tidbit easier!

I may not love physics as much as this little genius does, but we certainly agree upon one thing: the tactile pleasures of dining are lost on compulsive users of cutlery!

Comic strip from my Roundglass Sustain column.

Gaza and COP28

COP 28 will kickstart later this month in Dubai, a little over 2500 km from the site of the worst genocide in recent times. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu happens to among the Emirate's esteemed invitees. Would a global climate conference do justice to itself if the issue of dehumanization of an entire population is not addressed?

Cartoon from my Gocomics page. 

Lord Baron Quotes

The caterpillar of the Baron butterfly is a camouflage champion! Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain. 

Eco Anxiety as an Activist

Are you an environmental activist or a nature conservationist? What does eco-anxiety feel like to you, and how do you deal with it? Let me know in the comments (feel free to CAPS lock!)

Cartoon for DW Environment.

Mysterious Pangolin

Recent molecular analysis of confiscated pangolin scales revealed the existence of a ninth, previously unknown species of pangolin, now called the Mysterious Pangolin! The unusual discovery brings with it both hope and concern- hope that the whereabouts of this creature will eventually be found, and concern that the creature would be found alive before the trafficking of pangolins leads the sp0ecies to extinction.

Comic from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.