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.
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Reflections
  • 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. (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. Vijaykumar)
  • 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]​