Rohan Chakravarty's Blog, page 53

Rhea Bites Jair Bolsonaro

Cartoon from my Gocomics page.

Arctic Wildfires

On the Arctic wildfires from my Gocomics page

IUCN Red List and the Black necked Crane

The Black-necked Crane, a bird of immense cultural importance in Himalayan mythology and religion, is being considered for downlisting from 'Vulnerable' to 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List. Conservationists across the crane's range countries (India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan) fear that this move may take the gravity of conservation threats to the bird (climate change, habitat loss, dams, melting glaciers, feral dogs and tourism pressures) away, and could make it easier for governments to allow linear intrusions along the crane's habitat. 
An article by Narendra Patil contesting the downlisting proposition can be read here. Birdlife and the IUCN are accepting comments on the matter until tomorrow, on this forum. 
Cartoon from my column with Roundglass Sustain. 

Every Time I Click a Bird Picture

This comic is best read with an Ennio Morricone western soundtrack playing in the background. Posters available on my Redbubble store here.

Smooth Handfish

Meet the Smooth Handfish, the modern world's first marine fish to be declared extinct. Comic from my column with The Hindu.

CBSE Scraps Ecology and Evolution

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)'s decision to scrap entire chapters on ecology and evolution in the middle of a zoonotic pandemic has been termed 'ironic' by the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB). While the ISEB has taken cognizance of the fact that a syllabus reduction will help students prepare for exams better, it has suggested the trimming of sub topics rather than slashing of entire topics. Read the ISEB's statement to the CBSE and HRD Ministry here. 
Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Tips to save the Tuturuatu

Any conservationists / ornithologists / birders from New Zeaand here? I recently learned that the Tuturuatu or the Shore Plover is not just among the world's most endangered waders, but it also a very difficult bird to conserve, because it refuses to cooperate with conservationists! To save this species threatened from introduced predators and habitat loss, scientists have been trying to establish Tuturuatu populations on predator-free islands like Waikawa, Chatham, Mana. But in a recent conservation setback, an entire colony of Tuturuatus (not known to be long-distance flyers) disappeared from Mana, presumably flying off to a different island! Meanwhile, populations in Waikawa have been on the path to recovery, with the island now boasting of 24 breeding pairs.
Here are some tips to make Tuturuatus potentially cooperate with conservation measures better! Comic from my Gocomics page.

Kaziranga Flood Relief

Homage to all the people, organization and forces responsible for making Kaziranga bounce back after every flood season. Comic from my column with Roundglass Sustain.

Railway Lines through Western Ghats

Endemic animals have joined the protest against railway lines through the Western Ghats. Have you?
Read why the Hubbali Ankola Railway Line through the Western Ghats is a terrible idea, and sign the petition here. 
Sign the petition to object to the doubling of a railway line through Mollem National Park here. 

Myristica Swamps

We've all been hearing of endangered flora and fauna. But do you know of endangered ecosystems? One such habitat- the Myristica swamps dot the Western Ghats, and are now on the verge of being wiped out. Hear it from the endemic Myristica Swamp Frog, described as recently by science as 2013! Comic from my column with The Hindu.