Latest news with #WorldPangolinDay
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
In Pune on May 9, man with a green funnybone and a wake-up call
'Ever wondered why Valentine's Day and World Pangolin Day are celebrated back to back?' asks one pangolin to another. 'No, but we're endangered and I love where this is going,' replies the second pangolin as a full moon glows on them. Elsewhere, there is Donald Trump in a MAGA cap. 'Today, this great nation stands at par with Iran, Libya and Yemen…,' says the US President. Ripping open the jacket of his suit to reveal a heart inscribed with 'Drill Baby Drill', he adds, 'in being the only countries outside the Paris climate agreement.' The cartoons, with a playful mix of tongue-in-cheek wit and edgy artwork, are by Nagpur-based Rohan Chakravarty. Chakravarty might not be a familiar name, but that is because his fans know him as Green Humour. Green Humour is considered the world's largest online collection of cartoons, comics and illustrations on wildlife and the environment. In December 2013, it was picked up by the international comics platform Gocomics and became the first series of cartoons and comic strips from India to be distributed globally. Green Humour has received awards from the United Nations Development Programme, WWF International and the Royal Bank of Scotland, among others. Chakravarty has been invited to make live art at COPs 26 to 29, the United Nations climate change conferences. On May 9, the cartoonist and illustrator will make a rare trip to Pune, at Pagdandi Bookstore, to discuss Bird Business, his new book that delves into the surprising lives of birds. More than 100 birds have been covered in the book as the author highlights the many peculiarities among birds that laymen and even bird watchers often overlook. The Nicobar megapode, for instance, is only found in the Great Nicobar, and it is from the only family of birds known to compost. There are greater racket-tailed drongo, which is an accomplished mimic and can reproduce metallic jingling sounds, and birds that dance, mimic and flirt. 'I've been bird watching for around 20 years, and everything I've learnt on this journey has gone into creating the book. When I started Green Humour, it was a sort of distraction for me from the rut of animation because I used to do a lot of corporate projects as an animator. I needed something to challenge myself more creatively. Over time, as I started to secure columns and spaces for Green Humour in the media, I began to realise that it comes with responsibility,' says Chakravarty, who is trained as a dentist. 'Initially, it would only be the science and the conservation community that would engage with my work. Later, people from all walks of life started to engage with it. That was when even my narrative started to get longer and more complex, and include a lot of not just wildlife conservation but also the politics around it. I tried to show that this is not just an environmental matter but also a social and a political one,' says Chakravarty. Bird Business has resulted from Chakravarty's conviction that field guides that are available on birds and bird watching only tell you how to identify some birds and never go beyond that. 'This book tries to bridge the communication gap in a visual and entertaining manner,' he says. Chakravarty himself goes out every morning, usually in the company of his two dogs, to observe birds. As he speaks about his fascination for the Greater Painted Snipe, a bird in which the gender roles are starkly reversed, so that it is the female that indulges in courtship displays, courts one mate after another and leaves her eggs to the care of mates. Chakravarty is afraid that a climate disaster is looming closer, and many species are on borrowed time. 'I am not a very optimistic person in this matter. Though I try to project as much optimism as I can through my art and my cartoons because I think I owe it to my readers, especially younger ones, I don't have much hope left anymore. Ever since I started out, it has just gotten consistently worse year after year,' he says. Chakravarty is a pioneer in making art exclusively on the environment and climate change, but several artists across forms are now making their voices heard on the issue. He, however, is worried as the days get hotter every year. As an artist, though, he is fighting on. 'I am at a stage where I research hard and put everything I can into a comic or a piece. I put it out there and let viewers decide how to interpret it and apply it to their lives,' he says. Dipanita Nath is interested in the climate crisis and sustainability. She has written extensively on social trends, heritage, theatre and startups. She has worked with major news organizations such as Hindustan Times, The Times of India and Mint. ... Read More
Express Tribune
15-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Saving the most trafficked mammal — one pangolin at a time
KARACHI: The Indian pangolin is one of Pakistan's most endangered species. Also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater, this mammal's population has been dwindling fast due to several factors, including poaching, illegal trade, habitat destruction, and the effects of climate change. The third Saturday of February is annually marked as World Pangolin Day to raise awareness about this beautiful but the most trafficked creature. Classified as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List, the Indian pangolin's population continues dropping. Particularly in the Pothohar region, the pangolin has vanished from over 80% of its historic range. Although exact population figures are not available, studies suggest that the global population of this mammal could drop by 50% over the next 20 years or so. According to WWF-Pakistan, the Indian pangolin is protected by both federal and Sindh wildlife laws. Since 2016, it has also been listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which prohibits international trade in pangolins and their products, including scales. However, these laws have done little to mitigate the threats the species faces. The main threat is poaching. The pangolin's scales are highly sought after in traditional medicine and illegal markets, especially in Southeast Asia and China. Habitat destruction due to urbanisation, agricultural expansion, and deforestation continues to exacerbate the species' plight. Pakistan has also become a transit route for the illegal trafficking of pangolin scales. WWF-Pakistan has urged provincial wildlife departments and law enforcement agencies to take immediate action to curb illegal pangolin trade. "Poaching, habitat loss, and illegal trafficking are pushing pangolins toward extinction. We must protect these unique creatures by tackling the illegal wildlife trade and safeguarding their habitats," Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal Chaudhry, Senior Manager for Research and Conservation at WWF-Pakistan, told The Express Tribune. According to him, WWF-Pakistan has proposed several measures to conserve the Indian pangolin, including the establishment of community-based pangolin protection zones (PPZs) in main habitats such as the Pothohar Plateau, Margalla Hills, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
