Galaxy frog (Melanobatrachus indicus)
Without gloves and without minimal care, photographers and influencers manipulate the habitat of the small galaxy frog, killing several specimens.
A galaxy frog (Melanobatrachus indicus), a tiny and extremely rare amphibian, is becoming a victim of its own visual appeal, according to a recent warning from conservationists.
Endemic to the rainforests of Kerala, in southern India, the last known representative of its evolutionary lineage can disappear locally due to growing pressure from photographers and influencers looking for the perfect images for social media, even at the expense of habitat destruction, points out .
The common name derives from the unusual pattern of the skin: dark, punctuated by bright bluish spots that evoke a starry sky. In many species, colors of this type function as a warning of toxicity, but in the case of the galaxy frog, researchers suspect that they mainly play a role in communication. The animal is so small that it barely exceeds the size of a fingernail, and depends on very specific microhabitats to protect itself and reproduce.
The scale of the problem became evident after an episode reported by researcher Rajkumar K P. At the beginning of 2020, he located seven specimens in a forest area, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented continued monitoring. When he returned after that period, he found clear signs of disturbance: a large fallen trunk, essential as a shelter against predators and bad weather, had been moved and broken, and the surrounding vegetation, where frogs used to lay eggs, showed stamping marks.
Local trackers confirmed the repeated presence of groups of photographers at the site, who rummaged through trunks looking for hidden individuals. When they found them, they manipulated them without gloves and without minimal carealthough these amphibians breathe partially through their skin and are particularly vulnerable to contaminants. In one case, it was reported that a photographer took several specimens to a “prettier log covered in moss” in order to improve the framing. Two animals died on the same day.
Researchers from the Zoological Society of London say they were unable to re-detect the species in the area after several attempts, raising concerns about the collapse of entire populations.
For conservationists, the case exposes an increasingly common dilemma: the popularity of images of endangered wildlife could accelerate their decline.
