This post is in continuation of my last post. There have been several incidents of unethical photography across several locations & involving different species of birds & animals. These are a few stories of such incidents. Usually, I write my own stories using my own photos, but these are not my stories. They have been reported in the news & on social media.
Galaxy Frog:
This is a rare & threatened frog species which is found only in the southern part of the Western Ghats in south India. It’s a beautiful frog which is mostly black in colour with bright blue spots throughout its body & orange patches at the base of the legs. This gives it a starry night look. It has recently become very popular among photographers.
What happened?
It all started a few years ago when photos of the species started going viral on social media. Its location was also revealed there. Several groups of photographers went to an area where a few of the frogs had been discovered. One such group couldn’t find them. They searched here & there. Once they found the frogs, they handled them with bare hands to place them on clumps of moss for better photos. They used flash to take pictures & spent several hours photographing the frogs. But, in the process of the search, during the overturning of logs & stones, a large group of frogs died. Two of them died, possibly because of their skin drying out.
It is said that a photo speaks a thousand words. But in this case, what is it that the photo does not reveal? The size, rarity of the species & the setup used. Did you realize from the picture that the frog is only 2-3 cm long? I didn’t. The dreamy moss setup in the pictures is not its habitat. That its status is Vulnerable also does not show in the picture.
*This story was reported by research scientist Dr. K.P. Rajkumar. It was followed up by several major news organizations. Link
A Music Video Shoot:
There is this area in the Himalayan foothills which consists of a few small lakes surrounded by dense forests. Several bird species, both resident & migratory, live & breed there. It’s a popular area for birding & wildlife. Strict rules are in place for photographers.
What Happened:
Recently, the area was closed by the authorities. The reason given was tiger movement in the area. But instead, it turned out that the area was being used as a shooting location for a music video! For the shoot, an actress was seen emerging from the lake with full makeup & a shimmery dress. Artificial fog was created for effect. Large reflectors were placed on the surrounding trees & several other dancers danced in the surroundings. Shooting was also conducted at night in the jungle with full lights. The forest floor including the leaf litter were trampled on by the dancers & the crew.
And this is the breeding season of the birds in the area. The story in my blogpost on the Greater Yellownape woodpecker was from this very area.
What angers me is that this video could have been shot in a swimming pool. Why only in this location? No action was taken.
*This was posted on X by wildlife photographer Gautam Kashyap. It was followed up by News18. Link
Drone Shots of Flamingoes:
Flamingoes are beautiful birds, known for their bright pink colour. They are tall & easy to spot. This makes them popular among photographers. They have a specialized diet & feed mostly on red algae. They are mostly found in the edges of alkaline lakes & shallow saltwater bodies.
What Happened:
This year, flamingoes have been seen in large numbers along their few favoured sites. Photos & videos of them have been going viral on social media. This has led to more & more people visiting these places to see & photograph them. Many of these photographers want to take flight shots of them, so they chase them to make them take off. Some also use drones to take aerial shots, further disturbing the birds. The birds are not allowed to rest, feed or get on with their routines.
These are examples of what the social media pressure for likes & viewership can do. The locations of birds & wildlife get revealed & people throng to these places, putting pressure on the habitat. In many cases, this leads of abandonment of the sites by the birds. It’s the same story time & again, worldwide.
I feel we as birders & wildlife enthusiasts have a responsibility to protect the ecosystems where all these species live & to raise our voice against any such incidents.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Leave A Reply