Popular Articles

​Science and Society
  • Shanker, K. (2021) What constitutes good science journalism? The Bastion, January 31, 2021.
  • Shanker, K. and V. Guttal (2021) A tale of two biologies: distinctions in philosophy and practice need to inform institutional structures and support. Current Science 120: 463-466.
  • Shanker, K. and S. Krishnan (2018) Aging ungraciously: the bane of academia. The Scroll, December 1, 2018.
  • Shanker, K. and M.A. Oommen (2018) Engaging communities in resource monitoring: the political ecology of science as the language of power. Radical Ecological Democracy, October 2018.
  • Shanker, K. (2018) Science meets journalism: from balled fists to handshakes to high-fives. Confluence, October 2018.
  • Shanker, K. (2018) Rethinking conservation: cancer, communalism and climate change are more linked than you’d think. The Scroll, September 2018.
  • Shanker, K. (2017) How the liberal left lost its way. The Wire, December 2017.
  • Shanker, K. (2016) New plans instead of new pills. The Hindu, August 2016.
  • Shanker, K. (2014) Editorial: Towards an inverted pyramid of scientific hierarchy. Current Science 106: 139-140.

On being an ecologist 
  • Shanker, K. (2021) Finding Philautus: bush frogs of the Western Ghats. Roundglass Sustain, March 2021.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) The zen of diving. Roundglass Sustain, December 2020.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) The blue mountains: love and longing for the shola grasslands. Roundglass Sustain, July 2020.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) Island fever: A lifelong obsession with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Roundglass Sustain, June 2020.
  • Shanker, K. (2019) Turtles, torches, and naps on the beach. The Mint, September 2019.
  • Shanker, K. (2019) Life in the slow lane. Posted at kartikshanker.in, August 2019.

Reflections
  • Shanker, K. (2023) Being inspired by the turtle man. Current Conservation 17.2: 25-27.
  • Shanker, K. (2023) Undeterred and unfettered: Anne Theo’s tryst with marine biology. Current Conservation 17.2: 28-31.
  • Shanker, K. (2023). Dedication: Anne Heloise Theo (28 August 1985-6 February 2023). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 378(1878), 20230041.
  • Shanker, K. (2021) The making of 'Moonlight in the Sea'. Storyweaver, January 15, 2021.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) Archana Bali: Conservation’s most winsome warrior. Current Conservation.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) A half century of sea turtle conservation in India. Roundglass Sustain, February 2020.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) A good decade for wildlife. Fountain Ink, January 15, 2020.
  • Shanker, K. (2019) Turtles, torches, and naps on the beach. The Mint, September 18, 2019. 

Ecology, wildlife and conservation

  • Shanker K. and U. Srinivasan (2023) When tigers and jackals get the same protection. The Hindu October 18, 2023 (with Farah Ishtiaq, Ullasa Kodandaramiah, Anand Krishnan, Jayant Kulkarni, Prachi Mehta, Nandini Rajamani, VV Robin, Hema Somanathan, Aarthi Sridhar and Abi Vanak)
  • Swaminathan, A. and K. Shanker (2023) Leviathians of the Indian Ocean. Sanctuary Asia
  • Shanker, K. + 12 authors (2023) Why amendments to Wild Life Act are scheduled to fail. The Wire January 13, 2023. 
  • Gallo-Cajiao, E & K. Shanker (2021) Conserving animals on the move. Current Conservation 15.4: 1-4.
  • Shanker, K. (2021) This land of ligers. The ACU Review, December 2021.
  • Oommen, M.A. and K. Shanker (2020) The usual suspects. The Hindu, August 30, 2020.
  • Shanker, K. (2020) Throwing shade at the wrong tree. Current Conservation 
  • ​Shanker, K. (2019) Sensing Change: How Sound, Light and Smell Can Affect Plants and Animals. The Wire, February 11, 2019.
  • Shanker, K. and M. Muralidharan (2018) For conservation to work, we need to rescue crocodiles from animal rights. The Wire, November 11, 2018.
  • Muralidharan, M.  and K. Shanker (2018) Crocodiles need management, not PR. The Wire, November 10, 2018.
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(single author unless mentioned)
  • Hunting for solutions. The Hindu, November 2017 (with Meera Anna Oommen).
  • Islands in peril: develop or perish? The Hindu, ​February 2012 (with Meera Anna Oommen).
  • Olive and Green: Shades of conflict between turtles and fishers in India. Current Conservation 4.4, 2010 (with Rohan Arthur).
  • Shrewd Alliances. Sanctuary Asia, February 2010 (with Meera Anna Oommen) [PDF]
  • Turtle Boys, Current Conservation, Issue 3.1, 2009.
  • Mayavan. Current Conservation, Issue 3.1, 2009 (with S.P. Vijayakumar)
  • Into the Woods. Tehelka Magazine 5(39) Oct 04, 2008. [PDF]
  • Much ado about the nothing. The Week, September 2006
  • Sher Khan Needs his Share. Outlook, January 16, 2006. 
  • Lets look Beyond Tigers. Times of India, December 20, 2005. [PDF]
  • The edge of the world. Sanctuary Asia, December 2003 (with Meera Anna Oommen).
  • Arribada. Srishti 5(3): 22-29.
  • Conservation of olive ridley turtles in Madras. Herpinstance 1, 2003. 
  • What ails the ridley ?. The Hindu, June 8, 2003 .
  • Voyages of the Leatherback. Sanctuary Asia, April 2003. 
  • Hidden treasures of the Nilgiris. Srishti, 5(1).
  • Nilgiris: floral paradise. Sanctuary Asia, October 2002. [PDF]
  • Tracking turtles through time and space. Resonance, June 2002. [PDF]
  • Solving the ridley riddle. Sanctuary Asia, August 2001. [PDF]
  • Cool customers: herpetofauna of the Nilgiris. Sanctuary Asia, April 2001.
  • The odyssey of the Olive Ridley. Resonance, July 1999. [PDF]
  • Birth and Death: The Olive Ridleys in Orissa. Sanctuary Asia, 19(3), 1999. [PDF]
  • Prisoners dilemma and other Games that animals play. Resonance, March 1999. [PDF]
  • Will the meek inherit the earth?. Resonance, May 1997. [PDF]
  • Decline of a Montane Ecosystem. Resonance, February 1997. [PDF]
  • Rodents of the Nilgiris. Sanctuary Asia, 17(6), 1997. [PDF]
  • Secrets of the Shieldtails. Resonance, August 1996. 
  • Islands of Forests. Science Reporter, June 1996.
  • The Ancient Mariners. Resonance, April, 1996. [PDF]
  • Sholas and Grasslands. Sanctuary Asia, 16(2), 1996.
  • Selfish Altruism. Times of India. November 1995.
  • Survival of the Ancient Mariners. Times of India, October 1995.
  • Mosaic of the sholas on the Blue Mountains. Times of India, September 1995.

​Down to Earth
  • Icons of marine conservation. Down to Earth, October 15, 2011. 
  • They lived with Dinosaurs. Down to Earth, December 31, 2008. [PDF]
  • Fenced out: wildlife research in India. Down to Earth, November 15, 2006 (with MD Madhusudhan). [PDF]
  • Urban areas can support biodiversity. Down to Earth, October 31, 2006. [PDF]
  • Can good science help conservation?. Down to Earth, September 15, 2006. [PDF]
  • Small empty patches are important. Down to Earth, June 15, 2006. [PDF]
  • An island away. Down to Earth, April 30, 2006. [PDF]
  • For a common environmental ethic. Down to Earth, March 15, 2006. [PDF]
  • Taxonomic debates are important. Down to Earth, February 15, 2006. [PDF]
  • The holy book and the sacred list. Down to Earth, December 31, 2005. [PDF]
  • Lessons from Norse mythology. Down to Earth, November 15, 2005. [PDF]
  • Reconciliation: Lessons from marine ecology. Down to Earth August 31, 2005. [PDF]
  • Using wildlife: farming out the problem. Down to Earth, August 31, 2003.​


Book Reviews
  • Shanker, K. (2017) ‘Indira Gandhi: A life in Nature’ (Jairam Ramesh). Current Science 113: 2363-2364.
  • Shanker, K. (2012) Threatened Birds of India: their conservation requirements (Asad Rahmani). Business Standard, August 30, 2012. [PDF]
  • Shanker, K. (2012) Seasick (Alanna Mitchell). Current Science 103:569-570. [PDF]
  • Shanker, K. (2010) Mammals of India (Vivek Menon). Quarterly Review of Biology 85: 238.
  • Shanker, K. (2008) The Book of Indian Butterflies (Isaac Kehimkar), Business Standard, September 6, 2008. [PDF]
  • Shanker, K. (2006) Biology of Mangrove Ecosystems (K. Kathiresan and S.Z. Qasim). Conservation and Society 3: 537-539
  • Shanker, K. (2003) Battles Over Nature. (Eds. V. Saberwal and M. Rangarajan)’. Seminar 530, October 2003: 71-73.
  • Shanker, K. (2003) Animal Behaviour Desk Reference (EM Barrows). Marine Turtle Newsletter 99:
  • Shanker, K (2001) Sea Turtles of the Indo Pacific. Research Management and Conservation (Eds N. Pilcher and G. Ismail). Marine Turtle Newsletter 94: 22-23.
  • Shanker, K (2000) Indian Ocean: Images and Realities (S.Z. Qasim). Current Science 79: 662
  • Shanker K. (1997) Fall of a Sparrow (Salim Ali). Resonance, January 1997. [PDF]​