Wildlife photographers cause rare galaxy frogs to disappear from protected research site in india’s western ghats

Seven critically endangered galaxy frogs have vanished from a research site in India’s Western Ghats after wildlife photographers seeking pictures of the rare amphibians destroyed their fragile habitat, according to a new study in Herpetology Notes.

The tiny frogs, known scientifically as Melanobatrachus indicus, were first discovered by researchers in March 2020 living beneath rotting logs in the biodiverse mountain range. When scientists returned 17 months later, they found a scene of devastation: all 25 logs had been overturned, surrounding vegetation was trampled, and every single frog had disappeared.

An anonymous informant revealed that multiple photography groups visited the site between June 2020 and April 2021, engaging in harmful practices that likely killed or displaced the animals. Photographers reportedly flipped over logs to expose the frogs, used intense flash lighting, and handled the delicate creatures with bare hands—all actions that can cause fatal dehydration, stress, and disease transmission. Groups of 4-6 photographers would spend up to four hours photographing the same individuals, with at least two frogs reportedly dying during these sessions.

Galaxy frogs are aptly named for their stunning star-like patterns and measure just 2-3.5 centimeters—about the size of a small coin. These remarkable amphibians exist only in the southern Western Ghats at elevations above 900 meters, making them extremely vulnerable to human disturbance. The incident highlights a growing concern about “photo tourism” threatening endangered species as social media drives demand for rare wildlife images.