Rohan Chakravarty's Blog, page 31

The Delhi Dilemma

On Delhi shutting its schools because of air pollution, from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Brittle Star

Brittle Stars of the world, unite! Cartoon from my Roundglass Sustain column. 

The Antarctic Peninsula : Illustration for Save Our Seas Foundation

(click on the image for a larger view)
Commonly perceived as uninhabitable and desolate, the Antarctic Peninsula is actually teeming with south polar wildlife, most of which is threatened by climate change today. A unique ecosystem where all food is derived from the sea, the biome harbours creatures as tiny as krill (that form the core of the food web) and as large as the Blue Whale! The terrestrial wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula is no less splendorous, with five species of penguin, and seal diversity that ranges from the penguin-hunting Leopard Seals, to the gigantic Southern Elephant Seals that can dive upto 1550m to hunt squids! The illustration focuses on how life in Antarctica revolves around krill: Humpback Whales bubble net them, Blue Whales lunge-feed on them, Crabeater Seals have evolved specialized dentitions to hunt them, penguins dive after them, and storm petrels skim the sea surface with their feet in search of them! And if you're wondering why the ice at the penguin colonies looks pink, that too is from the colour that a krill based diet imparts to their poop!
A huge thanks to Save Our Seas Foundation for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to illustrate Antarctica in conjunction with scientists from Penguin Watch working in the region. The illustration will soon be auctioned to Antarctic tour ships to raise money for conservation efforts by SOSF and Penguin Watch. Read the article on the Antarctic Peninsula on their website here. 

Cartoons for CRJF at UN COP

Cartoons on social justice and climate change done for the Climate Justice Resilience Fund during the recently concluded UNFCCC COP 26. The last one was inspired by something that Masego Madzwamuse of the Oak Foundation said in her smashing speech, which I had the pleasure of attending virtually. Thanks to Cartoonstock and the CJRF for the opportunity!

Elisa Loncon and the Chilean Constitution

On Elisa Loncon, an indigenous Mapuche political leader leading the convention to rewrite Chile's constitution with indigenous principles at its centre. Comic from my column with The Hindu. 

Tossing Coins in Rome

The great tosser, err... I mean the great leader! Cartoon from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Simlipal's Melanistic Tigers

Odisha's famed 'black tigers' from Simlipal Tiger Reserve have long harboured a genetic secret, finally decoded by the eminent biologist Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan and Vinay Sagar from the NCBS. The genetic mutation is linked to inbreeding and restricted gene flow. Cartoon from my Roundglass Sustain column. 

COP 26 and Madagascar Menu

A comparison of the menus of COP 26 and the climate-change induced famine raging in Madagascar. Cartoon from my Gocomics column. 

Wildlife Map of Himachal Pradesh

(Click on the image for a larger view)
Did you know that the state of Himachal Pradesh is home to two biogeographical realms: the Palearctic and the Indomalayan? And this is what makes its biodiversity so special. Delighted to present my illustration for the Himachal Forest Department: The Wildlife Map of Himachal Pradesh. From the pine forests of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Himalayan National Park that harbours Himachal's majestic state bird, the Western Tragopan; to the cold deserts of Lahaul Spiti where Snow Leopards roam, the illustration focuses on species richness, diversity and distribution across this Himalayan state.
The map, released officially during the Wildlife Week in October, is up for display at various offices and interpretation centres in the state, and will soon be out as souvenirs. Please note that prints of this illustration are not for sale through my store, and the copyrights belong to the HP Forest Department.

Bats in Asia Pacific Cultures

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Media propagated myths about bats have long tarnished their reputation as creatures of horror and harbingers of death. It is time to undo that, and what better way than to go back to our roots? Here is a map that showcases how different countries, mythologies and cultures in the Asia Pacific celebrate and revere bats. The illustration is based on an incredible research and publication by Pteropus (Rimba, Malaysia) who also commissioned the illustration. 
Limited edition prints are available on Rimba's webstore 'The Fruit Bat Shop'. The prints can also be purchased via my webstore, shipped internationally. For orders within India, write to me on rohanchakcartoonist@gmail.com mentioning the address and contact details and the number of prints you'd like (A0: Rs. 3500, A1: Rs. 3000, with discounts on multiple orders). 
A special thanks to Mary Ruth Low and Sheema Abdul Azeez for giving me this opportunity, and the most exciting illustration project of the year, and also very generously permitting me to sell prints of the artwork!