The Cheetah in India Seeks Advice

New to India, the Cheetah seeks advice from a grassland veteran, the Striped Hyena. Comic from my column with The Hindu Sunday Magazine.

Cheetah Naming Contest

The Government of India has recently announced a cheetah naming contest, to assign names to the eight African Cheetahs introduced to Kuno National Park. The cheetahs thought they'd participate too!

If you have better ideas, you can try your hand at naming cheetahs on https://www.mygov.in/cheetahnames/

Threats to the Aravalli Range

As the plunder of the Aravallis continues unabated, particularly in Haryana and Delhi, here's a reminder that it is the world's oldest fold mountain range, and a treasure trove of biodiversity. Cartoon from my column with Sunday Mid-Day. Recommended reading: Newslaundry's thoroughly investigated series on encroachment in the Aravallis.

Smashing Patriarchy with Spotted hyenas

Come, laugh with the Spotted Hyenas! Comic from my column with Sunday-Mid-Day.

Prints available on my webstore here. (For orders within India, A3 posters are available for INR 500 for the first print, and 200 for the second copy onwards. Emial me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com to place an order).

Know Your Hyenas

Distributed across Southern and Eastern Asia (the Striped Hyena) and Africa (all four species), Hyenas are carnivorous mammals related to cats and weasels on the evolutionary tree. Although Hyenas have earned a reputation as food-pilfering scavengers, they are also great hunters themselves. The Spotted Hyena also holds the distinction of being among the most social carnivores! The Aardwolf is unique among Hyenas in being primarily insectivorous.

The compilation is available as prints and merchandise on my webstore here. 

For orders within India, email me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com. The range of products available within India is listed here-

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)- Set of 4 caricatures for Rs. 1200

Coffee Mug (Compilation)- Rs. 850
Tshirts (Cotton, Round-nack, s/m/l//xl sizes: Compilation) - Rs. 1200 each.

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)

Stripes vs Stripes!

The Striped Hyena of India is not only an efficient scavenger but some large specimens have also been reported to hunt their own prey. These animals are considered cowards by folklore, due to their habit of feigning death when attacked. In actuality, they are known to be quite fearless, even standing their ground against predators like leopards in disputes over a kill. Striped Hyenas are the smallest of the true hyenas, retaining viverrid characteristics that are lost in the larger species. Pairs are monogamous, assisting one another in raising the pups.


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Stripes vs Stripes

This work by Rohan Chakravarty is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.