Environmental Threats to Ladakh

Mass hunger strikes and protests are underway in Ladakh for environmental, cultural and governmental safeguards. But Ladakh's wildlife doesn't even need to go on a hunger strike! 

Comic for The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Theri Sand Dunes and the Madras Hedgehog

Tamil Nadu has its own dune, and the dune has its own Timothy Chalamet- the endemic Madras Hedgehog! Last year, I had the pleasure of venturing twice into the Theri dunes of Tirunelveli, with researcher Maria Antony and hedgehog biologist Brawin Kumar, but was never lucky enough to spot the animal. Hunted for various superstitious rituals and losing wild scrub habitat to development and urbanization, the Madras Hedgehog is now becoming increasingly rare.

To readers from Tamil Nadu who may take offence at the ‘Dune’ comparison when there is already a Tamil film called ‘Theri’ starring superstar Vijay, my due apologies! While I am indeed aware of the popularity of the film, I am not sure if it has anything to do with the red sand dunes, not having watched it yet (and if it makes up for anything, I have not watched Dune yet either!)

Comic from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

State of Indian Birds Report

An Indian Roller reads out the key findings of the recently published 'State of Indian Birds' report. Comic from my column in The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Big Bad Mines

Have you, as a human ever wondered?

(Turns out, there actually IS a children's book about mining that I didn't know about when I drew this cartoon: Nandita Da Cunha's 'Pedru and the Big Boom', about the ecological and social impacts of mining in Goa)

Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain.

A Rare Media Interview with a Reintroduced Cheetah

A rare media interview with a reintroduced cheetah. From my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

Sand Mining and Gharials

India's sandy river banks are as endangered as the wildlife that nests on them, thanks to illegal sand mining! Correspondent Gharial for Nature TV News, in my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Ganga Cruises and the Gangetic Dolphin

Dredging and noise pollution associated with the newly launched luxury cruises in the Ganga are expected to make the already critical situation for Gangetic Dolphins a lot worse. Endangered and threatened by pollution and habitat loss, the Gangetic Dolphin is India's National Aquatic Animal.

Cartoon from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

Phishing Cat

Don't let habitat loss create more monsters like the Phishing Cat! 

On Fishing Cats and habitat loss from my column with Roundglass Sustain

Andaman Day Gecko

Here's some #MondayMotivation from the Andaman Day Gecko, a rare example of an endemic species that has benefitted from anthropological disturbances. Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain. 

Perils of Unplanned Tree Plantation

News of a massive tree plantation drive in Ladakh backed and lauded by the government, is being celebrated across the country, in ignorance of the fact that Ladakh is not supposed to have trees. Here's a comic I created for ATREE's World Environment Day outreach campaign about the perils of unplanned tree plantation drives, a worrying trend across India. The Indian Courser, one of my favourite grassland birds, is just one of the many victims of habitat loss that unscientific aforestation programmes have caused in Central India.  

Miss Kerala Fish

This beauty pageant winner from the Western Ghats is an endangered species, thanks to the aquarium trade, invasive species and habitat loss. Meet the Miss Kerala Fish in my column with The Hindu Weekend.

Birds Recently Uplisted on IUCN

Meet 5 Indian birds recenty uplisted on the IUCN red list. Comic from my column with Roundglass Sustain. 

A Spoonbill and a Greenshank Discuss Shangchi

The endangered Black-faced Spoonbill and Nordmann's Greenshank have a conversation about habitat loss and cinema in my Gocomics page today. 

Conservation Threats to Scorpions

India's scorpions, especially our endemic, rock-dwelling varieties, are under increasing threat from habitat loss and the pet trade. Read a detailed report on Mongabay India on the status of scorpion research and conservation. Cartoon from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Andaman Nicobar and Compensatory Afforestation

Salute to Niti Aayog's grand vision of bringing Hong Kong to India, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands! Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day. 

Carbon Sinks

Comic on carbon sinks done for Client Earth. Read their article on carbon sinks here. 

Sloth Bear Conservation Threats

The Sloth Bears' woes did not end when capturing bears for street shows was banned. Now India's sloth bears face new threats from multiple fronts. Comic from my column with The Hindu. Also read Aathira Pernichery's article in Mongabay on sloth bear conservation in India for a more detailed insight. 

Grizzled Giant Squirrel and Kaveri Dam

A dam proposal at Mekedatu in the Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary threatens one of the last strongholds and populations of the near-threatened Grizzled Giant Squirrel. Comic from my column with The Hindu. Read Bhanu Prakash Chandra 's article on the issue in The Week here. 

Satellite Tagged Lesser Floricans

Here's some good news this Wildlife Week: a hope that the recent satellite tagging of Lesser Floricans in Gujarat enhances the endangered species' conservation efforts. Congratulations to the Gujarat Forest Department for the move, accomplished last month. Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Railway Line through Meghat

A proposal by the Central Government t expand the Akola-Khandwa Railway Line through Melghat Tiger Reserve could pose a threat to endangered wildlife like tigers and Melghat's flagship icon, the Forest Owlet, which was rediscovered from this forest. Fortunately, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra seems firm in his resolve to push for alternatives instead of expanding the line through the reserve and fragmenting wildlife habitat.

Comic from my column with The Hindu.