Rohan Chakravarty's Blog, page 58

Killer Whale

The Killer Whale wasn't born a Killer Whale. Society made it one. 
I personally prefer the name Orca. Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day.

Kakinada Mangroves

The Andhra Pradesh govt. is under fire for destroying ecologically sensitive mangrove forests in Kakinada for a housing scheme. Home not only to migratory and resident birds, fish, crustaceans but also the endangered Fishing Cat, Kakinada's mangroves are also a source of livelihood for coastal fishing communities. Students from the region have launched a Save Mangrove campaign to oppose the destruction of mangroves.

Stump-tailed Macaque

Meet the Stump-tailed Macaque, a monkey threatened by habitat loss. In India, the species is found in the North-East. Additional trivia: this primate is so shaggy, it is also known as the Bear Macaque!
Comic from my column with Roundglass Sustain.

MoEF Concrete Plans

The MoEF Chairman and his 'concrete' environment conservation plans.

Owls and Wildlife Veterinarians

Some similarities between owls and wildlife veterinarians: Comic from my column with The Hindu. The lockdown has been no vacation for wildlife vets across the country, who have been performing rescues and rehabilitation despite the challenges. 
My first tryst with the work of a wildlife veterinarian was on a field visit to Manas National Park on assignment, where I witnessed two of the first reintroduced rhinos of the park being hand-raised by ace wildlife veterinarian Dr. Bhaskar Chowdhry. The comic is inspired by the work of two of my wildlife vet pals, Dr. Ruta Bandivadekar who supervised the tranquilization and radio-collaring of tigers around Nagpur, and Dr. Ushma Patel, whose prodigious portfolio includes designing the first prosthetic limb for a wild bird in India (a Black Kite).

Mothers' Day Cartoon Postcards for Birdlife International

A set of 6 cartoon postcards for Birdlife International's Mothers' Day campaign titled "Which Bird Mom is Your Mom?". Thanks to Mireia and Cressida from Birdlife for the opportunity! Which bird mom is yours?

Batmom

Move aside, Batman; meet Batmom! Comic from my column with Sunday Mid-Day. Go hug your Bat Mom from me and wish her a happy Mothers' Day!

Environmental Video Games and Indian Government

If the Vizag gas leak incident does not teach us the importance of having a proper environment impact assessment module in place, nothing else will. The EIS draft nitification notice period has been extended to 30th June. Read the Draft EIA here: http://moef.gov.in/draft-environment-.... An article on the notification by Mongabay can be read here: https://india.mongabay.com/2020/03/in.... You may also follow the Twitter account by environment lawyers Kritika Dinesh and Meenakshi Kapoor, called Redraft EIA 2020 (@ReDraftEIA2020) for simplified tweets that explain the environmental impacts of the various points of the policy. If you are convinced that the draft EIA should be withdrawn, you may voice your objection to the policy on Let India Breathe here: https://letindiabreathe.in/WithdrawDr... and on Jhatkaa here: https://act.airalert.in/petitions/pub...

Kangaroo Cartoons for Arastirmaci Cocuk

Kangaroo cartoons for the Turkish kids' magazine, Arastirmaci Cocuk Merkezi. The cartoons appear in the print in Turkish, in the April issue of the magazine.

Wildlife Institute of India and Dibang Dam

Funded by Jindal Power (which will be executing the Etalin Dam project in Dibang Valley, along with the State Hydropower Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh), the Wildlife Institute of India conducted a 4 month study (despite a multiple seasonal replicate study being mandated by the Forest Advisory Committee), and concluded with a green signal for the project. 24 wildlife scientists from across India who have worked in Dibang Valley, have peer-reviewed the study, pointing out major flaws in the study, and the very fact that the study was designed to look more like research for a mitigation plan rather than analyzing the impacts of the projects in the first place.  
Read more on Arunachal Times here.