Black Softshell Turtle

Happy #WorldTurtleDay ! Delighted to share the first of two comics I created for the impact campaign of Gunjan Menon's National Geographic film, 'Looking for Lao Mura', about the critically endangered Black Softshell Turtle. Doubly chuffed that the comics will be up on display in Assamese locally! In collaboration with Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises of India

So grateful for this opportunity, Gunjan, Anuja Mital and Pradeep Hegde!

Union Island Gecko

A gecko endemic to the Union Island in the Caribbean, threatened by the pet trade and habitat loss, is now bouncing back, thanks to a very timely 'union' between the forestry department and conservation groups f the Union Islands! Comic from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Gharial in Pakistan

In some cheerful news, a Gharial was spotted in Pakistan's Sutlej, leading to the discovery of its first population of gharials in 30 years! After successful reintroduction programmes in India's Harike wetland, a gharial is likely to have crossed over during the floods of last year.

Comic from my column with Roundglass Sustain. Special thanks to Mr. Bilal Mustafa for sharing the news with me.

Irulas win the Padmashri

Vadivel Gopal and Masi Sadaiyan, members of the snake-catching Irula community, were among the 106 Padma awardees on this Republic Day (26th January). The duo has not only led snake-catching operations in India but also advised snake expeditions abroad!

Despite playing a critical role in saving thousands of lives each year from snakebites, Irulas who have been the backbone of the antivenom supply in India, have faced caste-based injustices over decades.

The comic appears in my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine. A couple of years back, I wrote and illustrated a short comic book on snakebite awareness called ‘Making Friends with Snakes’ in collaboration with the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and renowned herpetologist Mr. Romulus Whitaker, which is available via Pratham Books and Storyweaver. The book was a recipient of the Green Literature Festival Award, 2021.

India's Exotic Pet Problem

On India's exotic pet problem from my column with The Hindu. Read Purva Variyar's detailed coverage on how an organized crime nexus operates behind the coveted turtles, pythons and macaws, in her blog series for Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Ghabru the Gharial

A poster on Gharial conservation for kids in Hindi, created for Chakmak Magazine. Subscribe to Chakmak on https://www.eklavya.in/magazine-activity/chakmak-magazine. 

Diego the Galapagos Giant Tortoise

Diego, the legendary Galapagos Giant Tortoise who is credited with single-handedly pulling his species back from extinction thanks to his libido, has retired at the age of 100, and has returned to his native island of Espanol from the Galapagos National Park's breeding programme at Santa Cruz. Comic from my Gocomics page.

India's Endangered Freshwater Turtles

Turtles and tortoises are some of the most fascinating reptiles, and yet both poorly understood and the most endangered. India's inland species particularly are among the most neglected reptiles, that face numerous threats like poaching, illegal capture for pet trade, habitat loss, deforestation, sand mining, dredging and water pollution. Of the 29 species found in India, 26 are classified under various threatened categories on IUCN's Red List. With World Turtle Day around the corner, 5 such species complain about their plight, in this comic from my column with The Hindu.

Endemism in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a jewel in India's biodiversity crown. But unplanned development and pressures from tourism are threatening the endemic biodiversity of the islands. Here's the endemic Andaman Day Gecko's monologue from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Tokay Gecko Poaching

Among the most trafficked animals in the world, Tokay Geckoes are suffering heavily at the hands of poaching for the Chinese Medicine industry, falsely believed to have (you guessed it-) aphrodisiacal properties. The recent inclusion of the species in CITES Appendix II aims to help the gecko revive by regulating and monitoring this trade.

From my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

Crocodilians of the World

Crocodilians are among the world's most popular as well as the most misunderstood reptiles. While cultures such as the ancient Egyptians and the Aztecs venerated crocodiles, they have today been reduced to creatures of peril. Crocodilians in fact, are pivotal to the ecosystems they inhabit, playing the role of super-predators, regulating the populations of terrestrial, aquatic as well as marine prey species, and (as in the case of smaller crocodiles and juveniles) also acting as prey for larger carnivores.

Crocodiles have been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth, and today inhabit every continent except Europe and the poles. They range in size from the massive 20 feet Estuarine Crocodile (also the largest living reptile in the world) to the tiny 4.9 feet Dwarf Crocodile. Several species of crocodilians are critically endangered today because of habitat loss and hunting. 

This brand new poster features all the 26 species of crocodilians described by science, and gives you their conservation status. The compilation is available as a wide range of prints and merchandise on my webstore here.

For prints and merchandise of the 'Alligators of the World' compilation, visit my webstore here.

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

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

A2 Posters (Matte surface, loose)- Rs. 1200 for the first print, 1000 for the second print onwards

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)

Manouria Impressa

Meet Manouria impressa, or the Impressed Tortoise, earlier known only from Southeast Asia, that has recently been recorded from Arunachal Pradesh in India! Spotted in a chance rescue operation in the Kamle district of Arunachal, this tortoise takes India's inladn turtle count to 29! Read more here. 

Life Lessons from Various Snakes

It's World Snake Day tomorrow. Here are some life lessons that all of us can adopt, from various snakes from around the world. The comic appears in my column with Sunday Mid-day.

Prints of the comic are available on my webstore here. For orders within India, write to me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com.

King Cobra Nest

The King Cobra holds several records. Other than being the longest venomous snake, it is also the only one to build a nest for the eggs, which are guarded fiercely by the female! From my column with RoundGlass Samsara.

Poaching of Monitor Lizards

Monitor lizards are poached rampantly in India, for everything from meat, to body fat, to genitals! A recent raid by WTI led by my friend Jose Louis revealed that even online retailers like Amazon peddle monitor lizard penises, sold as a religious artefact called 'Hatha Jodi'! The raid resulted in a mass seizure of this contraband, and led to Amazon pulling the item off their website.

The comic appears in my column with Mid-Day today.

The Leatherback Sea Turtle

A series of cartoons on the Leatherback Sea Turtle, on the occasion of Sea Turtle Day. The series appears on Nature in Focus here.

Buy the poster on my webstore here. For orders within India, mail me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com.

Sea Turtles of the World

Know your sea turtles with this brand new illustrated poster on World Turtle Day (23rd May). There are 7 extant species- the Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, Flatback, Olive Ridley, Kemp's Ridley and the Leatherback Turtle, the Leatherback being the largest and the Kemp's Ridley, the smallest. Sea turtles are found in every ocean in the world, except at the poles. The Flatback Turtle is the only exception, being restricted to the seas around Australia. 

Most sea turtles are endangered or vulnerable, owing to several threats such as hunting, poaching, loss of habitat and nesting sites, pollution, plastic and fishing debris, and getting caught as bycatch by fishing vessels. 

The compilation is available as posters and a wide range of apparel and merchandise on my webstore here.

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

A2 Posters (loose)- Rs. 1200 each

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

Coffee Mug (Compilation)- Rs. 850

(Preview of the spread for the coffee mug)

The Star Tortoise Trade

The Indian Star Tortoise is one of the most trafficked animals in the illegal pet trade. Thanks to exotic pet owners, the wild populations of the Indian Star Tortoise, like many other tortoises and turtles, has crashed dramatically.

The comic appears in my column with Sunday Mid-Day today.

The Snake Torture Festival

It's that day of the year again in India, when thousands of snakes across the country are captured from the wild, have their fangs hammered out and burned, and are subjected to the worst form of torture, including force-feeding with milk and sprinkling of vermilion into their eyes. Naag Panchami is a festival meant to worship and revere snakes. The best way of doing so is to leave them alone, in the wild. 

The comic appears in my Sunday column with Mid-Day today.

Read a series of cartoons I created in collaboration with indiansnakes.org that debunks snake myths here. Celebrate Naag Panchami cruelty free.

Snake Myths Busted

I collaborated with the amazing folks at Indiansnakes.org  to bring out some cartoons that debunk snake myths that are prevalent in India and lead to harassment, capture and even death of snakes. Naag Panchami, a festival in which snakes are meant to be worshiped, ends up being a day of horror for snakes; particularly cobras, as they are captured from the wild, defanged and rendered helpless, force-fed with milk and tortured.

Indiansnakes will soon be publishing vernacular versions of the cartoons and distributing it as posters. Thanks to the dynamic Shaleen Attre and Jose Luis for teaming up!

Let this Naagpanchami be cruelty free. Say no to snake worship and report the capturing of snakes to your local forest department.