{"id":644699,"date":"2025-12-20T18:30:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T18:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/644699\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T18:30:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T18:30:28","slug":"how-the-hunt-for-a-perfect-picture-has-pushed-the-magical-galaxy-frog-towards-extinction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/644699\/","title":{"rendered":"How the hunt for a perfect picture has pushed the \u2018magical\u2019 galaxy frog towards extinction"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Published on
\n 20\/12\/2025 – 8:00 GMT+1\n <\/p>\n

A group of endangered galaxy frogs, famed for their striking blue speckles and bright orange patterning, is presumed dead after disappearing from their natural habitat. <\/p>\n

Back in 2020, around seven of the tiny frogs \u2013 which grow to just 3.5cm long \u2013 were discovered living beneath rotting logs on the forest floor<\/strong><\/a>in the Western Ghats, India.<\/p>\n

However, upon returning to the site between August 2021 and May 2022, researchers discovered that the logs had been overturned, the surrounding vegetation had been trampled, and all the frogs had vanished. Evidence suggests that wildlife photographers might be to blame. <\/p>\n

Why are galaxy frogs risking extinction?<\/p>\n

The elusive amphibians have long been listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s (IUCN) Red List due to the destruction of lush forests and their conversion into agricultural land for crops such as coffee and tea.<\/p>\n

In fact, galaxy frogs are classified as an Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species, a group containing the world\u2019s most unique species at risk of being lost forever. <\/p>\n

However, a new report published in Herpetology Notes sheds light on how wildlife photography may also be pushing the species towards extinction.<\/p>\n

Researchers spoke to an anonymous informant who claims that several groups of photographers visited the area between June 2020 and April 2021. They say cameramen flipped over logs and used the flash setting to secure clear images of the frogs, which can dehydrate the animals and cause them stress.<\/p>\n

Multiple photographers allegedly handled the frogs without gloves, increasing the chance of diseases being passed between them. <\/p>\n

A \u2018stark\u2019 warning to wildlife photographers<\/p>\n

Dr Rajkumar K.P., lead author on the paper, says the findings are a \u201cstark warning for the consequences of unregulated photography\u201d, arguing that wildlife photographers need to make sure their snaps don\u2019t inadvertently contribute to the frogs\u2019 decline. <\/p>\n

\u201cWithout careful and responsible management, we risk them disappearing off the face of the planet for good,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be a tragic irony if a drive to capture their likeness on camera today turned them into a thing of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-author Dr Benjamin Tapley acknowledges the benefit that wildlife photography<\/strong><\/a> can have on endangered species, which is often used as a tool to boost conservation efforts. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we want to encourage people to get out there and appreciate all the incredible life that we share this planet with, it\u2019s essential they do so respectfully so as not to cause further damage,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Researchers are now calling for a code of ethical field practice for wildlife photographers to follow, with the ability to issue fines for those who violate the standards. They have also highlighted the importance of training to ensure that licensed guides are aware of correct practices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Published on 20\/12\/2025 – 8:00 GMT+1 A group of endangered galaxy frogs, famed for their striking blue speckles…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":644700,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3843],"tags":[3927,12016,728,4737,730,2249,70,16,15,24907],"class_list":{"0":"post-644699","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-deforestation","9":"tag-endangered-species","10":"tag-environment","11":"tag-extinction","12":"tag-india","13":"tag-photography","14":"tag-science","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-wildlife-conservation"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115753321959409036","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=644699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/644700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=644699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=644699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=644699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}