Popular Articles
Science and Society
On being an ecologist
Reflections
Ecology, wildlife and conservation
(single author unless mentioned)
Down to Earth
- 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. (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.
(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]