Zoological Society of London-led study blames photo tourism for presumed deaths of seven galaxy frogs in Western Ghats

Key facts

• Galaxy frogs (Melanobatrachus indicus) live exclusively under rotten logs in Kerala’s Western Ghats.
• The species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• Between June 2020 and April 2021 photographers overturned logs and trampled vegetation, causing the disappearance—and presumed deaths—of seven monitored frogs.
• Photographers handled frogs with bare hands, exposed them to high-powered camera flashes for nearly four hours per session and moved them to different logs for better pictures.
• Displacing logs altered the moss-covered microhabitat, likely preventing the frogs from returning and disrupting their feeding and breeding.
• Frogs rely on skin respiration; drying from flash heat or handling hampers breathing and can be lethal.
• The study recommends banning capture, handling and chasing of animals, minimising high-intensity lights, and training guides to curb unethical wildlife photography.