Rohan Chakravarty's Blog, page 3

Indrella ampulla colour morphs

A new study shows that the Palghat Gap in southern India is the barrier separating the various colour morphs of the endemic gastropod Indrella ampulla. The article by Arathi Menon on Mongabay makes for excellent coverage of this study, which yet again proves the biogeographical mettle of the Palghat Gap!

Read another Green Humour comic on genetic isolation resulting from gaps in the Western Ghats here.

Cartoon for Roundglass Sustain.

(For readers from outside of India: the word ‘Mallu’ is a colloquial term referring to Malayali people from the southern state of Kerala).

Two Governments and Chhattisgarh

Congress versus Hasdeo versus BJP versus Hasdeo. Cartoon for The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

A Male Spider's Guide to Not Being Eaten While Mating

If you are a male spider out on a date, DO NOT approach the lady without reading this comic!
A Valentine's Day special for Roundglass Sustain.

Mantises on Valentine's Day

A very happy Valentine's Day in advance, or 'head-day' if you're a male mantis!
Cartoon for The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Ussuri Bat

If you're looking for a cozy winter retreat, log on to AirBnB, I mean, BatBnb, book your own private snowbank, and hibernate like the Ussuri Tube-nosed bat, one of the most cold tolerant mammals in the world! Fun-fact: BatBnb is actually a conservation movement that crafts bat houses for urban bats to rest in, aiming to raise the numbers of these natural pest controllers in urban environments! 
Cartoon for DW Environment. 

The Male Anglerfish's Selfless Love

Can you ever love your partner as selflessly as the male Anglerfish loves Roshni?
Comic for Roundglass Sustain.

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.

Brutal Invasions of India

If you've had a chance to visit any major national park in India in the last few years, you might agree that the most brutal invasion of India is underway: that by Lantana and several other introduced invasives! Several factors have led to this unchecked proliferation of these weeds, including deforestation and climate change. While many methods to manage the issue (periodic manual removal, burning, rotation and promoting alternative uses of lantana by forest dwelling communities) are underway, it remains to be ascertained which of them will be viable.
Cartoon for The Hindu Sunday Magazine. 

Wolf Lineages Meet in Pakistan

We all know that Pakistan's mountains have been a melting pot of various cultures across history, but not just for humans, even for wolves! New research by Lauren M Hennelly et al, published in Oxford Academic's Journal of Heredity pin-points the point of convergence of three wolf lineages in Pakistan's north-west mountains. What food / drink are you bringing to this party?
Cartoon for DW Environment. 

Who Wore It Better

Amitabh Bachhan's legendary light-bulb fitter costume from Yaarana has close competition- the bright polka dotted Starry Dwarf Frog, endemic to the Western Ghats!
Cartoon for Roundglass Sustain.