Migratory Birds protest Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The return of migratory birds to Siberia amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Cartoon from my column with Sunday Mid-Day. 

Bird Flu 2021

On the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak from my column with Roundglass Sustain. Sadly, numerous migratory birds like the Bar-headed Geese have already succumbed to the disease.

Bird Caricatures for WWF Hong Kong

Some wetland birds I illustrated for a project on wetland management and conservation for WWF Hong Kong last year. 

Maguri Burning

Maguri Bheel has been the wintering ground for hundreds of migratory waterbirds , including the critically endangered Baer's Pochard, which visits India all the way from Siberian latitudes. What will these birds do when they return to a burned Maguri Bheel, courtesy of Oil India's oil blow out? Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day. 

A Conservationist Plays Duck Hunt

A wildlife conservationist plays 'Duck Hunt'. Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain.

Tattoo Stickers for Birdlife International

To mark the World Migratory Bird Day on October 12th, I teamed up with the East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership and Birdlife International to make these tattoo-stickers of 6 endangered migratory species. The stickers were launched at an event in South Korea to celebrate the occasion.

Bird Deaths in Sambhar Lake

Rajasthan's Sambhar Lake that hosts thousands of migratory waterfowl every year, witnessed mass deaths from botulism and elevated concentrations of salt from illegal salt mining in the lake. Applause for all veterinarians and conservation organizations who teamed up to save the remaining birds from the crisis.

Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain.

East Asian Australasian Flyway- Birdlife International

A set of cartoons done for Birdlife International and the East Asian Australasian Flyway partnership, to highlight the conservation threats faced by the bird species using this flyway. The birds featured in the cartoons include the Bar-tailed Godwit, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Black-faced Spoonbill, Baer's Pochard, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Far-eastern Curlew and Great Knot, all endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. 

Thanks to Yong Ding Li of Birdlife International for commissioning me for the project!

Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary

(Click to enlarge)

Vikramshila, India's only dolphin sanctuary, is located on the holy Ganga in Bhagalpur, Bihar, and is one of the last remaining strongholds for the endangered Gangetic Dolphin. The sanctuary is also the breeding ground of the endangered Greater Adjutant (locally known and revered as Garuda), Smooth-coated Otters and several freshwater turtles; and is visited by a myriad migratory bird species in the winters.

Illustrated for the Forest Department of Bihar.

Mangalajodi- a Falcon's Eye View

(click on the image for a larger view)

Mangalajodi, a village in Tangi in the state of Odisha (India), is the northern edge of Chilka Lake, one of the largest wintering grounds for migratory birds in the Indian subcontinent, hosting more than a million birds from 230 species annually!  Mangalajodi is also a unique conservation success story, where the efforts of a few committed locals helped transform a village that depended on bird poaching for subsistence, into protectors of those very birds. Today, Mangalajodi hosts a large number of birdwatchers, photographers and tourists every winter, earning the place a prominent spot on India's ecotourism map.

I was recently commissioned by 'Song of the Wild' to visit Mangalajodi and create an illustration of the place. The illustration will be a part of an art exhibition 'The Magic of Mangalajodi', being held in Bhuwaneshwar's Lalit Kala Akademi from the 7th to the 13th of December. Thanks to Mr. Avinash Khemka, a wildlife photographer and the brain behind the display, for hosting me at Mangalajodi, and to my friends Panchami Manoo Ukil and Bikram Grewal for making me a part of the show. Thanks also to my friend and scientist Tiasa Adhya, who is studying the Fishing Cat in the wetland, for helping me generously with information about the area, and to Mr. Madhu Behera, a poacher-turned-protector and tour guide, for showing me around.

Recommended reading on Mangalajodi: Panchami Manoo Ukil's article for Sanctuary Asia here. 

Mountaineering Tips from Himalayan Animals

Whether you're hitting the hills for a retreat or are a seasoned trekker, here are some useful mountaineering tips from the professionals- Himalayan fauna. 

The comic appears in my column with Sunday Mid-day.

World Records by Migratory Birds

It's World Migratory Birds' Day! Did you know of these world records that migratory birds hold?

The comic appears in my Gocomics column today. Posters available on my webstore here. (For orders within India, mail me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com)

Hong the Swan Goose- Mascot for Beidaihe Wetland Park

Meet Hong the Swan Goose, the official mascot for Beidaihe National Wetland Park in Quinhuangdo, China. The Swan Goose, threatened by hunting, habitat loss and hybridization, was chosen as the official mascot to bring attention to its 'Vulnerable' status on the IUCN red list, and to popularize the bird and the park among birders and wildlife enthusiasts in China. 

(Some preliminary character designs before we zeroed in on the one in the centre). 

Thanks to the park management at Beidaihe for commissioning me for the project, and to my friend Yuli Yang of CNN Hong Kong, for helping me come up with a name for the mascot!

Mai Po Nature Reserve- an Illustrated Map

Located in the Deep Bay in the north-western part of Hong Kong, Mai Po Nature Reserve is a wetland of international significance, and one of my favourite birding destinations! In addition to harbouring vast stretches of mangrove forests, tidal mudflats, grasslands and marshes, Mai Po is a major wintering ground for the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill, the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, and a number of other birds. Birds aside, Mai Po is probably the only place where a species of firefly named after the- the Mai Po Bent-winged Firefly is found! (A caricature of this insect illuminates the title of the map). Mai Po is also an important heritage destination, as it is one of the few remaining places where traditional and manually operated shrimp ponds called Gei Wai can still be seen in use. Wonderfully designed observation hides make for some fantastic sessions of bird-watching, while the mangrove trails are a great way to spot the rare Leopard Cat and the Eurasian Otter!

The reserve is managed by WWF Hong Kong. I was commissioned by the WWF HK's Education team to visit Mai Po in September last year, gather resource and reference, and create a bilingual illustrated map. The illustration is intended for display at the nature reserve, and also at various educational events conducted by the WWF. A big thanks to my friends at WWF- Alex, Augustine and Kitty for having me at Mai Po!

Also take a look at the Wildlife Map of Hong Kong, illustrated last year.

BNHS Bird Migration Atlas

One of my most challenging yet enjoyable assignments this year was this mega-poster for the Bombay Natural History Society. The brief was to depict migration journeys, ringing and recovery efforts undertaken for 25 species of birds, while at the same time displaying migration in all its glory. To the left is a map of the Indian subcontinent that shows birds ringed and recovered within India. To the right is a map of the Old World, showing rings and recoveries outside of the subcontinent. The icons that enclose the birds, also depict their preferred habitat in ringing and recovery locations. 

Packing so much scientific information into a single visual was a real challenge, but at the same time a tremendous learning experience! The project introduced me to some real wonders of bird migration, such as the South Polar Skua, ringed in the Antarctic Peninsula and recovered all the way up in coastal Karnataka! 

The poster was displayed at the CMS COP 12 held in Manila in October. Thanks to Dr. Deepak Apte (Director, BNHS) and to Ms. Vibhuti Dedhia (Editor, Publications, BNHS) for commissioning me for the artwork, and to ornithologist Tuhina Katti for patiently answering all my dumb questions throughout the project!

Bar headed Geese

Meet the highest flying birds in the world- the Bar-headed Geese! The geese breed in Central Asia and cross the Himalayas each year to winter in India, frequently flying over the Everest! 

This winter, Green Humour celebrates winter migrants. The comic appears in my column with Mid-Day today.

Some Biological Breakthroughs in India in 2016

Who are you thanking on the first day of the year? I'm thanking the biologists who made 2016 worthwhile!

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

Bird caricatures- published!

I've got some great news for readers who are following my bird caricature series- these are now a part of Saevus magazine's section, 'Go Birding' written by eminent Indian birder, Mr. Sumit Sen. Beginning with this Comb Duck above, these caricatures will appear one bird family at a time in each issue.

I am also set for the Arunachal Bird Festival, where I will be displaying prints of some of these bird caricatures from North-East India. I will be speaking on art and biodiversity and will also be deconstructing one of these caricatures to explain the process to students and other audiences. 

The Great Hornbill

The Wedge-billed Wren Babbler

The Rufous-necked Hornbills

The Ward's Trogon

The Bugun Liocichla

And the Blyth's Tragopan

Prints of these are available as A3 posters which you can order by sending a mail to me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com. I may be out of coverage for the next one week, so I'll get back to all messages and emails once I'm back.