In Western Ghats under rotting logs, a predatory camera & the disappearing frogs

Sometimes, it’s good if no one hears a tree fall in the forest and better still if the rotting log is left as is. In the Western Ghats in Kerala, under decaying wood, a unique concatenation of ecological circumstances provides the only known home for Melanobatrachus indicus or the Galaxy Frog. The tiny amphibian (0.8-1.4 inches long) is among the most stunning in the world and is named for the dazzling array of white spots on its jet black body. Unlike the frogs from fairy tales, it requires no assistance from princesses to be attractive, and it is this beauty, perhaps, that has led to a tragic fate.

According to a report published by researchers in Herpetology Notes, seven Galaxy Frogs — the species is vulnerable to extinction according to the IUCN — have disappeared in the last few years. The culprit is all but certain: Photographers rushed to the small patch of forest the frogs were known to live in. In their enthusiasm for the perfect image, tourists and amateurs overturned the logs under which they live and picked up the tiny creatures to place them against “better” backgrounds. In essence, they damaged the microhabitat that the tiny amphibian needs to survive. And by touching the creatures, made them all the more vulnerable. All seven are now presumed dead.

There is, perhaps, many a metaphor and larger lesson to be drawn from the disappearance of seven Galaxy Frogs about climate change, the anthropocene and the devastation human beings cause. But the mere facts of the case are sad enough. Bright colouration on animals, particularly non-mammals, is often meant to discourage predators, an advertisement that they are not edible. Nature, though, does not know of the hunger of the camera and the ravenous social media beast. It has now consumed seven tiny galaxies. Hopefully, there are some more out there, away from the predatory lens, under a rotting log.

Overall Analysis

This editorial is a poignant reflection on how human curiosity, amplified by tourism and social media, can inadvertently destroy fragile ecosystems. Using the case of the Galaxy Frog (Melanobatrachus indicus) in the Western Ghats, the author illustrates how even non-malicious human actions can have fatal consequences for vulnerable species.

The piece opens with a lyrical inversion of a familiar proverb, immediately setting a reflective and cautionary mood. By suggesting that it is sometimes better if no one hears a tree fall, the author emphasizes the value of leaving nature undisturbed. The frog’s beauty is described vividly, almost poetically, which heightens the tragedy of its disappearance. This aesthetic language contrasts sharply with the grim outcome, reinforcing the irony that what made the frog attractive also made it vulnerable.

As the editorial progresses, the tone shifts from wonder to quiet indictment. The author avoids overt blame but clearly points to photographers and tourists whose quest for the “perfect image” destroyed the frog’s microhabitat. Words like “predatory camera” and “ravenous social media beast” personify technology and human desire, suggesting that modern tools can behave like unchecked predators.

In the final paragraph, the author briefly gestures toward larger themes such as climate change and the Anthropocene, but deliberately pulls back, stating that the facts alone are tragic enough. This restraint strengthens the moral force of the piece. The concluding image — of tiny galaxies consumed by human attention — is both evocative and unsettling, leaving readers with a sense of loss and responsibility.

Overall, the editorial uses metaphor-rich, emotionally restrained language to deliver a powerful ecological warning: admiration without restraint can be as destructive as exploitation.

Important Vocabulary (5)

1. Concatenation – a linked series or chain of events or conditions.
2. Microhabitat – a small, specialized environment where a particular organism lives.
3. Anthropocene – a term used to describe the current age in which human activity significantly impacts the Earth’s ecosystems.
4. Ravenous – extremely hungry or eager; voracious.
5. Predatory – seeking to exploit or consume, often aggressively or harmfully.

Conclusion & Tone

The editorial mourns the loss of a rare species while cautioning against the unchecked intrusion of humans into delicate natural spaces. It urges readers to reconsider the cost of attention, tourism, and digital validation on biodiversity.

Tone: Reflective, elegiac, and subtly critical — blending sadness with a quiet moral warning.