Wolf Lineages Meet in Pakistan

We all know that Pakistan's mountains have been a melting pot of various cultures across history, but not just for humans, even for wolves! New research by Lauren M Hennelly et al, published in Oxford Academic's Journal of Heredity pin-points the point of convergence of three wolf lineages in Pakistan's north-west mountains. What food / drink are you bringing to this party?

Cartoon for DW Environment. 

Painted Dogs make a Killing

African Painted Dogs make a killing in my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine today (first published in Roundglass Sustain). What are the best online courses you've enrolled for? Let me know in the comments.

Darwin's Zorro

On Darwin Day, allow me to introduce you to the Darwin's Zorro or Darwin's Fox, an endangered canid endemic to Chile. Known only from a few locations, the fox inhabits temperate forests and is threatened by habitat loss. Meet the caricature version of the species in my 'Canids of the World' poster here.

Fennec Fox cartoons for Arastirmaci Cocuk

Some cartoons on the world's cutest canid, the Fennec Fox, created for the Turkish kids' magazine Arastirmaci Cocuk. The cartoons appear in Turkish in the latest issue of the magazine.

Wild Canids of the World

If there is one wildlife family that's closest to mankind, it's the canids! Man's best friend, the dog itself, evolved from the largest wild canid, the Grey Wolf, and has another 35 of its wild cousins spread across the world except Antarctica. Canids are as diverse as they are adaptable, having evolved precise features to suit their lifestyles and habitats, such as the disproportionately large ears of the Fennec Fox to dissipate body heat in the desert, the dense white fur of the Arctic Fox that provides insulation against the Arctic winter, and the partially webbed feet of the Short-eared Zorro from the Amazon Basin that help the dog catch fish! While the Fennec Fox is the smallest wild canid in the world (and the Grey Wolf the largest), the Maned Wolf of South America holds the record for the tallest canid, owing to its abnormally long legs that help it navigate tall grass.

With Wildlife Week around the corner, Green Humour brings to you all the 36 wild canids of the world in one giant poster! Prints and a wide range of merchandise (tshirts, wall clocks, laptop skins, mugs and duvets) are available on my webstore here. 

A compilation of the genus Vulpes (see below) is also available as prints and merchandise here.

For orders within India, e-mail me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com. The range of products for Indian orders is as follows-

A0 Posters (Matte surface, loose)- Rs. 3500 for the first print, 3000 for the second print onwards

A1 Posters (Matte surface, loose)- Rs. 3000 for the first print, 2500 for the second print onwards

A2 Posters (Matte surface, loose)- Rs. 1200 each

Mounted Posters (A3- Individual species and compilation)- Rs. 2000

Loose Posters (A3- Individual species and compilation)- Rs. 500 for the first copy and Rs. 200 for the second copy onwards

Fridge Magnets (65 x 65 mm, Printed in sets of 4)- Any 4 cat caricatures for Rs. 1200

Coasters (3.5" x 3.5", Printed in sets of 6)- Any 6 cat caricatures for Rs. 800

Coffee Mug (Compilation)- Rs. 850

Tshirts (individual species/compilation)- Rs. 1300 (White, Cotton, roundneck, sizes- S,M,L,XL)

(Note: the poster does not include sub-species of canids, such as the Indian Wolf, the Desert Fox etc. For the Canids of India list, visit http://www.greenhumour.com/2016/01/canids-of-india-and-striped-hyena.html)

Wolves Versus Terrorists

The mainstream media and the USA clearly have some difficulty telling terrorists apart from wolves. Here's a simple guide for them.

The Fantastic Arctic Fox

Meet the fantastic Arctic Fox! The comic appears in my column with Saevus magazine this month.

Prints available on my webstore here. For orders within India, mail me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com

Wolves and Blackbucks

Some demonetization humour from my Gocomics page today. No puns or metaphors intended.

Lessons from the Indian Jackal Dad

Here are some lessons from the Indian Jackal dad, one of the most successful and adaptable members of the dog family! The comic appears in my column with Sunday Mid-Day today.

Happy Fathers' Day!

Easter with the Red Foxes

A family of red foxes wishing Green Humour readers a very happy Easter, from my Gocomics page today!

Canids of India and Striped Hyena

Although the famous wild cats of India enchant most wildlife enthusiasts the world over, the dog family beats every other in my list of favourite mammals. India boasts of six species split into several races across the wide array of habitats and terrains that this magically diverse country offers. Ready to begin an Indian canid safari? Get set woof!

The Indian Fox

The Indian or the Bengal Fox is endemic to the sub-continent, and is the most widespread fox of the region. The black eye markings and the short muzzle give the fox an adorable appearance. The black-tipped tail is a useful field identification feature. An effective pest controller, the Indian fox feeds mostly on rodents. It inhabits scrubs and grasslands, and hence faces a threat from habitat loss and poaching, as most such areas lack legal protection.

The Dhole

The Dhole or the Asiatic Wild Dog is a highly social animal, living in clans that may consist of as many as 40 animals. Their group hunting strategies also make them one of the most successful carnivores. Habitat loss and disease are the main conservation threats to the Dhole.

The Desert Fox

As the name indicates, the Desert Fox dwells in the arid regions of North-West India. The white-tipped tail separates it from the Indian Fox. The desert Fox is a sub-species of the Red Fox, another race of which, the Himalayan Red Fox occurs in the higher Himalayas. 

The Indian Jackal

The Jackal is the most successful member of the dog family in India, thriving in a wide range of habitats including forests, hills, marshes, grasslands and scrubs. Ever active and industrious, the jackal is a true opportunist. It scavenges on most occasions but actively hunts whatever it can catch, and has even been documented fishing! The jackal's opportunistic behaviour has earned it the reputation of a trickster in Indian folklore.

The Indian Wolf

Unlike the furry Gray Wolf of which this is a sub-species, the Indian Wolf is a thin, lanky-looking canine, nearly resembling a mongrel but larger in size. The Himalayan race of the Grey Wolf, called the Himalayan/ Tibetan Wolf differs from the Indian Wolf in having a luxuriant white coat. The wolf inhabits scrubs and open country in India where it preys on antelope. Increasing habitat loss and conflicts with cattle herders are the major threats that the wolf faces in India.

The Tibetan Fox

Endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, the Tibetan Fox is a rare occurrence in India, found only in Ladakh and Sikkim where India shares her borders with Tibet. The most carnivorous of foxes, it is equipped with several adaptations suited to the harsh Tibetan terrain, that give it its unique appearance, such as a narrow muzzle, short legs and ears. The Tibetan Fox hunts pikas, marmots and hare.

The Striped Hyena 

Although the hyena morphologically resembles dogs, it is phylogenetically closer to cats and weasels. The Striped Hyena is the only hyena species occurring in India and is found across most of the subcontinent except coastal regions. Being strictly nocturnal, it is rarely encountered. Hyenas are primarily scavengers but larger animals are capable of taking prey down. As with most scavengers, it finds an unfavourable reputation in myths and folklore as a coward. Habitat loss threatens Striped Hyenas, and it is listed as Near-threatened on the IUCN.

The compilation can be purchased as prints and a wide range of merchandise. For orders outside of India, please visit  online store here. 

For orders within India please mail me your order on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com for the following products-

A2 Posters (loose, compilation)- Rs. 1200 each

Mounted Posters (A3- Individual species and compilation)- Rs. 2000

Loose Posters (A3- Individual species and compilation)- Rs. 500 for the first copy and Rs. 200 for the second copy onwards

Fridge Magnets (65 x 65 mm, Printed in sets of 4)- Any 4 animal caricatures for Rs. 1200

Coasters (3.5" x 3.5", Printed in sets of 6)- Any 6 animal caricatures for Rs. 800

Coffee Mug (Compilations)- Rs. 850

Personal Diary (Hard Cover, A5, 150 pages)- Any animal caricature in a vertical orientation on the cover- Rs. 800

(Canvas for the Canids of India coffee mug)