The Great African Seaforest

(Click on the image for a larger view)

In one of my lengthiest and most detailed illustration projects yet, I got the honour of working closely with the fabulous team at The Seachange Project (creators of the Oscar winning documentary 'My Octopus Teacher')- to create a vision of hope for the Great African Seaforest, a vast expanse of kelp forest in the Atlantic Ocean along the western coast of South Africa. From the glamorous Cape Fur Seal, Cape Clawless Otter and the African Penguin to little known klipfish and limpets, the Great African Seaforest is home to a myriad marine organisms that make the kelp a living, breathing, and a dancing ecosystem! Many of these creatures are threatened by overfishing and anthropogenic disturbances today, and conservationists at the Seachange Project are working towards establishing safe, undisturbed habitats for these species to bounce back.

The illustration is available as a freely downloadable resource on the organization's website here. A massive thanks to the Seachange team (Swati Thiyagarajan, Craig Foster, Carina Frankal, Dani Ehrlich, Jannes Landschoff) for trusting me with the illustration, for having me at Cape Town for a field visit, and for their patience through the project!

Kaveri or Cauvery

Is it ‘Kaveri’or ‘Cauvery’? The South Indian river’s Smooth-coated Otters discuss, in my column with Roundglass Sustain. The river is threatened by dams, sand mining, blast-fishing and deforestation.

False Bay : Illustration for Save Our Seas

(click on the image for a larger view)

Wedged between the Cape Peninsula and the Hottentot Hollands Mountain of Western Cape, South Africa, the False Bay is a magical ecosystem, teeming with some spectacular and endemic marine life! From African Penguins and Fur Seals to Right Whales and Great White Sharks, this star studded bay is a jewel of the Great African Kelp Forest.

Illustration for Save Our Seas Foundation's gorgeous Shark Education Centre at Kalk Bay, Cape Town. The illustration can be downloaded on their website here. Thanks to Jade Schulz and the team at SOSF for the opportunity!

New Year Resolutions for Better Mental Health from Wild Animals

Some new year resolutions for better mental health from wild animals from around the world! Which ones are you adopting? Comic for DW Environment's social media.

Tips to Beat Covid 19 from Wild Animals

Some tips to beat Covid 19 from wild animals. From my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Sea Otters and Kelp

On the Sea Otter-kelp symbiosis from my column with Roundglass Sustain.

Small Clawed Otter Pet Trade

Yet another mammal falls prey to the exotic pet trade- the Asian Small-clawed Otter. American filmmaker Aaron Gekoski's film 'Pet Otters: The trusth Behind Otter Cafes' delves into some very disturbing details of what social media and the world's unhealthy obsession with exotic pets are doing to the wild population of this species.

Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day. 

Smooth Pick Up Lines by the Smooth Coated Otter

The Smooth-coated Otter is one smooth operator! From my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Coastal Fauna- Posters for UNDP

A series of posters I designed for school kids, for the World Wildlife Day event hosted by the UNDP, were displayed at the event. Thanks to the UNDP India team for commissioning the designs.

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.

12 Green Resolution Suggestions from Wild Animals

If they can do it, so can we, right? Which ones are you taking up this year?

The series appears in my space with Nature in Focus today.

In case you forget your green resolutions down the year, you can purchase a poster on my webstore here, to keep reminding you of the list! (Also try to indulge less in consumerism this year, please, other than purchasing Green Humour prints and merchandise!)

Otters of the World

Otters- one of the world's most adored group of mammals! No other carnivore blends mischief and  agility like otters do. Spread across the world as thirteen species, otters inhabit waters both temperate and tropical, inland and marine; and are important predators that check the populations of fish and help maintain the good health of aquatic ecosystems. Hunted indiscriminately for their fur, which is the finest for any animal on Earth, otters have faced a drastic decline the world over. Today, several otter species are grappling with hunting, habitat loss, and water pollution.

 Meet the thirteen species of otters here-

Eurasian Otter

The Eurasian Otter is the most widespread otter species. Found across Europe, Asia and Northern Africa, this animal prefers freshwater, but also occurs in coasts rarely. In India, the Eurasian Otter is found in the Himalayas and the Western Ghats. The species is classified as 'Near-threatened' on the IUCN Red List.

Smooth-coated Otter

The Smooth-coated Otter occurs in wetlands, swamps and river basins of India and South-East Asia. A very vocal and playful animal, the Smooth-Coated Otter can often be seen engaged in play with other members of its species. It is listed as 'Vulnerable' on IUCN's index.

Oriental Small-clawed Otter

The smallest otter in the world, the Oriental Small-clawed Otter is found in India (Western Ghats and the North-East), and South East Asia. As the name suggests, its claws do not extend beyond the fingers. This species too, is listed as 'Vulnerable'.

Hairy-nosed Otter

One of the rarest otter species, the Hairy-nosed Otter of South-East Asia is identified by the hairy vibrissae at the ends of its nose. The otter hunts fish and crustaceans along inland rivers. It is endangered because of habitat loss and hunting.

Spotted-Necked Otter

Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Spotted-necked Otter inhabits inland rivers and streams. It is identified by the white spotted patterns on the neck, with considerable variation existing among individuals.

African Clawless Otter

Also called the Cape Otter, the African Clawless Otter is the second-largest freshwater otter (after the Giant Otter). Its feet are clawless, with the exception of a few hindfeet. It is 'Near-threatened' on the IUCN index.

Congo Clawless Otter

The Congo Clawless Otter is a rare otter endemic to the Congo Basin in Central Africa. Although it is extremely similar to the Cape Clawless Otter (and has been recently split as a separate species from the latter), it can be identified by the pale guard hair on its forehead and nape, that give it a 'frosted' appearance, and also from the pale lining around the markings over the snout. Hunting and habitat destruction are its immediate threats.

North-American River Otter

Endemic to North America, the North American River Otter inhabits both freshwater and coastal habitats, where it hunts fish, frogs, mussels and clams. It is found across Canada and parts of the USA.

Neotropical Otter

The Neotropical Otter occurs in Central America, South America and Trinidad and has the widest range among New World otters. It lives along fast-flowing rivers in different kinds of habitats- forests, grasslands and the Pantanal. The Neotropical Otter is 'Near-threatened'.

Southern River Otter

Although this species is called a river otter, it inhabits both fresh and marine water. The Southern Rver Otter is found in South America in Chile and Argentina. The species requires dense vegetation along shorelines to thrive, and is endangered because of hunting and habitat loss.

Marine Otter

A rare and endangered otter, the Marine Otter of South America occurs in coastal Peru, Chile and Argentina. Its exclusivity to marine habitats makes it the world's smallest marine mammal! It is also the second-smallest otter, after the Oriental Small-clawed Otter. The Marine Otter is endangered.

Giant Otter

Found in the Amazon Basin, the Giant Otter is the largest freshwater otter species. Extremely social animals, Giant Otters live in large family groups headed by an alpha pair. The markings on their necks differ among individuals, and are used by group members to identify one another. Giant Otters are very vocal, and use a variety of vocalizations, threat and alarm calls to communicate. They are also an unusually fearless species, readily challenging larger predators like Jaguars and Caiman! Their fur is the shortest among otters, but highly valued as pelts. Owing to hunting and habitat loss, the Giant Otter is endangered today.

Sea Otter

Found in the coasts of the Northern Pacific Ocean, the Sea Otter is one of the most well-known and iconic otter species. Sea Otters are among the few mammals capable of using tools- they use rocks to crack the shells of molluscs! Sea Otters are a keystone species that feed on sea urchins and help maintain kelp forest ecosystems. They are also known to be very dedicated mothers. Despite inhabiting the cold seas of the North Pacific, Sea Otters lack blubber and rely on their dense fur for insulation. Sea Otter fur is the finest in the animal kingdom, and has unfortunately made them a soft target for the fur industry, landing them in the 'Endangered' category on IUCN's Red List.

The compilation, as well as individual illustrations are available as prints, apparel and a wide range of 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

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 otter caricatures for Rs. 1200

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

Coffee Mug (Compilation)- Rs. 850

Personal Diary (Hard Cover, A5, 150 pages)- Rs. 800
Tshirts (any available species/compilation)- Rs. 1300 (White, Cotton, roundneck, sizes- S,M,L,XL)

Go on, and bring these furballs home!