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. 

Sholas and the Sholakili

The Sholas, montane grassland-forests of the Western Ghats are an endangered ecosystem. The Sholakili tells you why. Comic from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Woodpeckers of India

Meet India's 32 woodpecker species in this compilation, from the largest, the Great Slaty, to the smallest, the Piculets, and from the most common, the Black-rumped Flameback, to the rarest, the Andaman endemics! The compilation is available as a range of merchandise on my Happywagon webstore.

For orders outside of India, visit my Redbubble webstore here.

Fynbos

A cartoon on the Fynbos: a shrub biome endemic to the Cape region of South Africa, featuring a Fynbos endemic bird species: the Protea Canary. I am off to South Africa over an exciting assignment, and of course for some wildlife-watching (and my maiden visit to the African continent!). I will see you soon with more cartoons and comics in mid-June.

Merchandise for Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

Some merchandise designed for Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park in the Andaman Islands. I had the great fortune of visiting the place last year, while in the Andamans for the Andaman Literature Festival. My sincere thanks to the forest department for hosting me at MGMNP and for commissioning this project, and to my dear friend, researcher and writer Krishna Anujan for making this happen!

Kottigehar Dancing Frog

An infographic done for ATREE PhD scholar and EDGE fellow Madhushri Mudke's study species, the endemic and endangered Kottigehar Dancing Frog. Found only in Karnataka's Western Ghats, the frog we have nicknamed 'Kappendra' can be seen having a dance-off with Kannada superstar Upendra in our infographic. A few 'teasers' that pay homage to the hand-drawn film poposters of Kannada cinema have also been designed in order to popularize the species in its home state. The infographic too will be translated to Kannada soon.

A big thanks to Madhushri for commissioning me for the project, and for taking me along to actually see the frog in its habitat. The infographic appears along with an article I wrote (my first!) on the Kottigehar Dancing Frog with Madhushri for Roundglass Sustain here. Thanks also to wildlife filmmaker Sugandhi Gadadhar for helping us with the Kannada translation of the teaser.

Read the split panels from the infographic below:

Railway Lines through Western Ghats

Endemic animals have joined the protest against railway lines through the Western Ghats. Have you?

Read why the Hubbali Ankola Railway Line through the Western Ghats is a terrible idea, and sign the petition here. 

Sign the petition to object to the doubling of a railway line through Mollem National Park here. 

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.

Dancing advice from the Indian Dancing Frog

Dancing frogs live along fast-flowing streams in the Western Ghats where they use 'dance moves' to woo their mates, by extending their hind legs and presenting the flashy webs to the ladies! From my column with RoundGlass Sustain.

Lion tailed Macaques and Canopy Bridges

Nature Conservation Foundation has been doing some pathbreaking conservation work across India, and one such example is in Valparai, Anamalai. Canopy bridges made of canvas and lined with rubber have been very effective in providing a safe passage for the endemic and endangered Lion-tailed Macaques. 

Comic from my column with Roundglass Sustain. More of my work on Valparai for Nature Conservation Foundation can be viewed here.

The Wildlife Map of Maharashtra

Maharashtra's geography is as complex and intriguing as its animals. From the Western Ghats in the west home to a myriad endemic frogs, geckoes and birds, to the dry deciduous forests of the east home to a majority of India's tigers and the critically endangered Forest Olwet, Maharashtra has a staggering biodiversity. The state finds its state symbols in the Indian Giant Squirrel or Shekru (in Marathi), the Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (Hariyal in Marathi), the Blue Mormon butterfly, the Jarul flower and the Mango tree. Some of its true wonders are species that are found only in the Sahyadris such as the Amboli Bush Frog, the Koyna Toad, the Vigors' Sunbird and numerous varieties of hill flowers such as Karvi and the Satara Aponogeton. But possibly the biggest surprise of all is a mammal that's only found here and nowhere else in the world- the Kondana Rat, endemic to Pune's Sinhagadh!

A big thanks to WWF Maharashtra (Ms. Vaibhavi Shitut Amle, Ms. Caroline Pais, Ms. Farmeen Mistry) for commissioning the project and for giving me a chance to draw my home state! Thanks also to Dr. Parvish Pandya for reviewing the project and to marine biologist Abhishek Jamalabad for his valuable inputs. The map will soon be used in campaigns at schools associated with WWF India.

(click on the images for a larger view)

Similarities between Kayani Bakery and the Kondana Rat

I have some great news for readers from Pune: starting today, you can now read Green Humour every fortnight on Pune Mirror! Making my Pune debut speaking of two things that are endemic to Pune, one of which I bet you had no clue about!

Keep an eye out for the Green Humour column on Pune Mirror on alternate Saturdays.

Valparai Landscape and Habitats

(Click in 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! 

Primates of Vietnam

Vietnam is a land of incredible biodiversity, specially when it comes to primates. With 25 species of primates, it is among the world's foremost primate-watching hotspots. However, with the exception of the Rhesus and Long-tailed Macaques, most of Vietnam's primates are facing grave threats from poaching, hunting and pet trade, and many are on the very brink of extinction. 7 of these species are critically endangered on IUCN's Red List, and feature on the list of the world's most endangered primates. 

Ravaged by war, Vietnam has had a rough ride with wildlife conservation. American troops stationed in Vietnam's forests during the Vietnam War used these incredibly beautiful primates for 'target-practice' (other than decimating Vietnam's forests with the dreadful Agent Orange). Before Vietnam's  ecology even had a chance to recover from chemical annihilation, in came traditional Chinese medicine, sweeping populations of wild animals for their body parts, particularly the langurs and gibbons. Bushmeat, poaching and the illegal pet trade continue to take a toll, pushing many of these species closer to extinction irreversibly.

The mini-map presents each of these 25 primates and their approximate ranges within Vietnam. Prints and merchandise are available on my webstore here. 

For orders within India, you can mail me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com. The prices are listed below-

A0 size (841 x 1189 mm, matte)- Rs. 3500 for the first print, 3000 for the second print onwards.

A0 size (841 x 1189 mm, canvas)- Rs. 5000 for the first print, 4500 for the second print onwards.

A1 size (594 x 841 mm, matte)- Rs. 3000 for the first print, 2500 for the second print onwards.

A1 size (594 x 841 mm, canvas)- Rs. 4500 for the first print, 4000 for the second print onwards.

A3- Rs. 500 for the first print, 200 for the second print onwards.

(PS- Vietnam has a primate rehabilitation centre (EPRC) at Cuc Phuong National Park, where many of these primates rescued from poachers and traders, are being cared for. The Centre has also successfully reintroduced rescued individuals into the wild. You can help the EPRC by making a donation here-http://www.eprc.asia/support-us/donate/)

5 Reasons to Preserve the Western Ghats

Need one reason to save the Western Ghats? I'll give you five!

The comic appears in my column with Mid-Day today, in the wake of the ongoing tussle between the central and state governments about the centre's decision to notify 56,825 square kilometres of the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive zone, to which the state governments (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and specially Kerala) have cited an objection. You can show support for the preservation of the Ghats by following the steps here and lending your voice to the Conservation India campaign- http://www.conservationindia.org/campaigns/western-ghats . 

The Carnivores of Madagascar

Caricatures of the carnivores of Madagascar drawn for the Rare Species Conservation Trust in Kent, UK. 

Thanks to the RSCT for giving me the opportunity to not only draw but also learn about thirteen adorably bizarre mammals I had never even heard of! Copyrights to the artwork belong to the RSCT.

The Extinction of the Bramble Cay Melomys

Green Humour goes black today, to mourn the extinction of the Bramble Cay Melomys, a rodent native to the Bramble Cay in the Great Barrier Reef's Torres Strait. This island dweller became the first mammal in history to have gone extinct because of human-induced climate change (news here).

The comic appears on my Gocomics page today.

Critically Endangered Birds of India

Did you know that 15 of the 1300+ bird species found in India are critically endangered? And among these, two are already presumed extinct? Here is a map that shows you where these fifteen occur or have been spotted in the past- the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, the Great Indian Bustard, the White-bellied Heron, the Pink-headed Duck, the Baer's Pochard, the Jerdon's Courser, the Forest Owlet, the Sociable Lapwing; the White-backed, Red-headed, Long-billed and Slender-billed Vultures; the Bugun Liocichla, the Bengal Florican and the Himalayan Quail. If you're an ornithologist on a re-discovery mission, my best wishes to you for finding the Pink-headed Duck and the Himalayan Quail!

I have only been able to spot 7 of these 15 species so far. How about you?

The map and the artwork are available as posters in the following sizes-
A1 poster (594 x 841mm)- Rs. 1800 each
A2 poster(419 x 594mm)- Rs. 1200 each   A3 poster- Rs. 500 for the first copy, Rs. 200 for the second copy onwards

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

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

Coffee Mug (Compilation)- Rs. 850

Personal Diary (Hard Cover, A5, 150 pages)- Rs. 800

The orders can be placed by e-mailing me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com. For orders outside of India, you can purchase a whole range of goodies including t-shirts, laptop skins, bags and more from my Redbubble store.

The Endemics of Sri Lanka

Happy Sri Lankan Independence Day! Did you know that the gorgeous island of Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of endemism in the world? 16% of its fauna is found nowhere else on the planet! As with most biodiversity-rich islands, several of Sri Lankan endemics are either endangered or are cruising towards endangerment owing to habitat loss.

Here are 22 of the species I found the most amusing (the actual list of endemic animals is over 500). The collage includes the National Bird of Sri Lanka, the Junglefowl, the Sri Lankan Birdwing, which is the National Butterfly, and two of the most striking lizards in the world, among others. 

Prints can be purchased as posters, art prints, t-shirts, mugs, laptop skins, notebooks and more, from my webstore here.

If you're in India you can place orders for the following products by mailing me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com-

A1 poster (594 x 841mm)- Rs. 1800 each

A2 Poster (419 x 594mm)- Rs. 1200 each

A3 Poster - Rs. 500 for the first copy and Rs. 200 for the second copy onwards 

Tshirt (S,M,L,XL)- Rs. 1300

Coffee Mug (Compilations)- Rs. 850

Personal Diary (Hard Cover, A5, 150 pages)-  Rs. 800