The Silent Carnage: Western Ghats, Roadkill, and Rohan Chakravarty's Green Humour

The Western Ghats, a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity, pulsates with an unparalleled richness of life. From majestic big cats to elusive amphibians and myriad insects, this ancient mountain range is a vital sanctuary for countless species.

Yet, beneath its verdant canopy, a silent and insidious threat is steadily claiming lives: the ever-expanding network of roads.

These arteries of human connectivity, while essential for development, often become death traps for wildlife. Fragmentation of habitats, coupled with the sheer volume and speed of traffic, leads to an alarming rate of roadkill.

Many species, from nimble deer and powerful leopards to slow-moving reptiles and amphibians, fall victim to vehicles, their lives abruptly ended on the asphalt. The true scale of this tragedy often goes unnoticed, with countless smaller creatures perishing without report, skewing our understanding of the profound ecological impact.

In this grim landscape, the power of art to provoke thought and inspire change becomes paramount.

Enter Rohan Chakravarty, the brilliant mind behind "Green Humour." Through his insightful and often satirical cartoons, Chakravarty skillfully brings environmental crises into sharp focus, making complex issues accessible and deeply resonant. His work is a powerful reminder that sometimes, a touch of humour can illuminate the darkest truths more effectively than stark statistics alone.

One of his most poignant comics directly addresses the roadkill epidemic in the Western Ghats.

It brilliantly subverts the conventional approach to road construction. Instead of designing roads that bisect critical wildlife corridors and endanger creatures like the humble toad, Chakravarty envisions a world where infrastructure adapts to nature. The comic depicts a scenario where a road gracefully curves around a designated toad crossing, allowing safe passage for the amphibian and demonstrating a harmonious coexistence that seems almost utopian, yet entirely achievable with foresight and respect for nature.

This "green humour" isn't merely for laughs; it's a profound commentary on our priorities and a gentle yet firm nudge towards re-evaluating our relationship with the natural world.

It underscores the urgent need for ecological sensitivity in urban planning and infrastructure development. Solutions exist, from scientifically designed wildlife underpasses and overpasses that allow safe movement across landscapes, to simpler yet effective measures like speed restrictions in sensitive zones and public awareness campaigns.

Protecting the Western Ghats and its inhabitants requires a multi-pronged approach: robust conservation policies, meticulous environmental impact assessments for new projects, and a collective shift in human behaviour.

Drivers need to be more vigilant, especially during dusk and dawn when many animals are active. Communities living near wildlife corridors must be empowered as stewards of their natural heritage.

Rohan Chakravarty's art serves as a critical mirror, reflecting both the challenges we face and the creative solutions we are capable of.

It's a powerful call to action, urging us to recognize that every creature, no matter how small, plays an integral role in the delicate balance of our ecosystems. The silent carnage on our roads can be stemmed, but only if we collectively choose to prioritize life beyond our own.