Amphibians of India
Written by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph.
Abstract
Amphibian photography is the craft of recording frogs, caecilians and newts without harming animals that are small, wet and easily stressed. This guide covers the amphibians of India and the Western Ghats checklist, conservation status, threats, night lighting, the Galaxy frog case and ethical handling, and monsoon fieldwork, with seven diagrams and three tables.
Keywords: amphibians of India, frog photography, Western Ghats, caecilians, night photography, wildlife ethics, monsoon
Which amphibians live in India?
Short answer. Frogs dominate: the Western Ghats alone list 252 species, and most are found nowhere else.
- Amphibians fall into three groups: frogs and toads (Anura), legless caecilians (Gymnophiona) and newts and salamanders (Caudata). India has one newt, the Himalayan newt (Down To Earth, n.d.). Figure 1 shows the groups.
- The Journal of Threatened Taxa checklist lists 252 amphibian species in the Western Ghats: 226 frogs and 26 caecilians. Of these, 228 are endemic to the Western Ghats (JoTT, n.d.). Figure 2 shows the counts.
- Endemic means found nowhere else. For a photographer it means that some species can be photographed only in one small hill range, so every visit carries weight.
Learn the three groups. Find one frog photograph and name its group before you read the caption.
A film about frogs is often a film about water. Plan the first shot of the pond, stream or wet leaf litter.
Cham tipLearn the groups, then the species.
Cham taskDraw the three-group classification from memory.
Check yourself: How many amphibian species does the Western Ghats checklist list?
252.
How threatened are the amphibians of the Western Ghats?
Short answer. Seventeen species are Critically Endangered and twenty-nine are Endangered.
- In the Western Ghats checklist, 17 species are Critically Endangered, 29 Endangered and 17 Vulnerable (JoTT, n.d.). Figure 3 shows all categories.
- Another 40 species are Data Deficient and 110 are Not Evaluated, which the checklist attributes mostly to recent descriptions (JoTT, n.d.). Many amphibians are new to science, so their status is still unknown.
- For a photographer this means a sighting of a rare frog may be a record that scientists can use. Note the place, date and conditions.
Photograph an amphibian you can find safely, such as a frog in a garden pond. Record the date, place and weather in your notes.
A conservation film needs a number the viewer can hold. Seventeen Critically Endangered species is one.
Cham tipRecord place, date and conditions.
Cham taskWrite one sentence on what Data Deficient means.
Check yourself: How many Western Ghats amphibians are Critically Endangered?
17.
What threatens amphibians?
Short answer. Habitat damage is the largest threat, followed by roads, chemicals, changes in water and disease.
- One overview names the largest threat as damage to habitat: livestock that muddy ponds, drainage, quarrying and logging (Down To Earth, n.d.). Figure 4 lists the pressures.
- Roads kill many amphibians. Farm chemicals, factory waste and salt harm adults and their eggs and larvae, and introduced fish eat eggs (Down To Earth, n.d.).
- Photographers add one more pressure. Crowds, flash and handling can harm a small population, as the next chapters show.
Walk a local pond or stream and note one pressure you can see, such as a road, a drain or grazing.
Show the pressure in the frame. A road beside the pond tells the story without a word.
Cham tipShow the cause, not only the animal.
Cham taskList three threats you can see near your home.
Check yourself: What is the largest threat to amphibians in the overview?
Damage to habitat.
How do you find and light amphibians?
Short answer. Go out in the rain with a biologist, light from the side with a diffuser, and stay at eye level.
- Amphibians often breed in rain, so rain is when they are most active. Protect your gear with a rain cover or an umbrella (Tropical Herping, n.d.).
- At night, a radio-triggered off-camera flash can be placed anywhere and, without cables, is less likely to disturb plants or the animal. Soften harsh light on shiny skin with a diffuser, and use a snoot to concentrate light when the animal sits on a bright surface (Tropical Herping, n.d.). Figure 5 shows a simple set-up and Table 1 lists the tools.
- Get down to the animal's eye level, and place the subject off-centre so that the habitat shows (Tropical Herping, n.d.).
- Test your camera and flash on a nearby object first. An animal may flee or change colour after the first flash, so you may not get a second chance (Tropical Herping, n.d.).
| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Radio-triggered off-camera flash | Can be placed anywhere, and no cables to disturb plants |
| Diffuser or softbox | Softens harsh light on shiny skin |
| Snoot | Concentrates light on an animal on a bright surface |
| Backlight | Changes the mood |
| Eye-level camera | Gives a more intimate view |
Table 1. Lighting and camera tools for amphibians.
Practise the set-up on a leaf or a stone before you try it on an animal.
Rain is a gift for cinema. A frame of rain on a leaf, lit from behind, sets the mood for the whole scene.
Cham tipTest your flash on a stone first.
Cham taskSketch your lighting plan for a night frog shoot.
Check yourself: Why light amphibians from the side with a diffuser?
It softens harsh light on shiny skin.
How do you photograph amphibians without harming them?
Short answer. Do not handle, do not flash repeatedly, and leave the habitat as you found it.
- In a study published in December 2025, researchers recorded up to seven Galaxy frogs at a site in early 2020. When they returned between August 2021 and May 2022, they detected none (Digital Camera World, n.d.). Figure 6 shows the sequence.
- An anonymous informant reported that groups of photographers visited from June 2020 to April 2021, used flash, handled frogs repeatedly without gloves and disturbed the logs where the frogs shelter. The cause has not been proved, and habitat loss from agriculture also threatens the species (Digital Camera World, n.d.).
- The report calls for stronger ethical standards, better training for guides and clearer rules, including limits on handling, flash and disturbance of habitat (Digital Camera World, n.d.). Table 2 turns this into practice.
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Keep your time short and your presence light | Handling frogs, and handling them repeatedly |
| Test flash on an object first | Repeated flash at the animal |
| Leave logs, stones and plants as you found them | Overturning logs or trampling vegetation |
| Go with a biologist or a trained guide | Tours with no guide training |
Table 2. Practice for amphibian photographers.
Write a five-line code for your own amphibian shoots. Share it with a friend before you go out.
Wildlife cinema depends on trust. A shot made by handling a frog should be labelled, or not used.
Cham tipYour picture is never worth the animal.
Cham taskList three things you will not do on a frog shoot.
Check yourself: What did the Galaxy frog report ask for?
Stronger ethics, trained guides, and limits on handling, flash and disturbance.
How do you plan a monsoon shoot?
Short answer. Plan around the rain, go with someone who knows the species, test, and leave no trace.
- Plan for rain, since amphibians often breed then (Tropical Herping, n.d.).
- Work with a biologist who can predict where animals will be active and how each species will react to an approach (Tropical Herping, n.d.).
- Test your settings on an object, shoot with a light touch, and keep going. Photograph animals as they are, and keep looking for better subjects and situations (Tropical Herping, n.d.). Figure 7 shows the sequence.
Plan one monsoon shoot on paper: place, guide, gear, rain cover and a time to leave.
Rain makes sound as well as light. Record the ambience of the pond for ten minutes before you leave.
Cham tipPlan to leave as early as you plan to arrive.
Cham taskWrite a one-page monsoon shoot plan.
Check yourself: Who should you work with on a monsoon shoot?
A biologist or trained guide who knows the species.
Which camera settings suit amphibian photography?
Short answer. Starting values for the ten settings, with links to the topic pages.
| Setting | Starting value |
|---|---|
| Camera | Any body with a flash |
| Lens | 90 to 105 mm macro |
| Aperture | f/8 to f/11 |
| Shutter speed | About 1/200 s (flash sync) |
| ISO | As low as the light allows |
| Metering | Manual, with flash power adjusted |
| Focus mode | Single, or manual focus |
| Focus area | Single point |
| Focus points | On the eye |
| AF-ON | Optional |
Table 3. Starting camera settings for amphibian photography.
Write these ten settings on a card. Test them on one subject and record what you change.
For video, keep the same focus ideas and set the shutter speed from the frame rate.
Cham tipChange one setting at a time.
Cham taskWrite your ten settings for amphibian photography.
Check yourself: Which focus mode suits a moving subject?
Continuous focus.
Questions beginners ask
How many amphibian species are in the Western Ghats?
The Journal of Threatened Taxa checklist lists 252 species, 226 frogs and 26 caecilians, and 228 of them are endemic.
Is it safe to handle frogs for a photograph?
No. A report on the Galaxy frog calls for limits on handling, flash and disturbance, and reports describe repeated handling without gloves at a site where the frogs later could not be found.
What is a caecilian?
A legless amphibian. The Western Ghats checklist lists 26 species.
When are amphibians most active?
Amphibians often breed in rain, so the monsoon is when many are active.
How should I light a frog at night?
Use a radio-triggered off-camera flash with a diffuser, test it on an object first, and keep flashes few.
References
- Journal of Threatened Taxa (n.d.) JoTT checklist of amphibians of the Western Ghats (v1.0). Available at: https://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/checklists/amphibians/westernghats (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
- Down To Earth (n.d.) Amphibians in India are besieged by numerous threats. Available at: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/scared-to-leap-16324 (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
- Tropical Herping (n.d.) 10 tips to photograph amphibians and reptiles in-situ. Available at: https://www.tropicalherping.com/articles/10_tips_in_situ_photography_herps.html (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
- Digital Camera World (n.d.) The tragic cost of wildlife photography: rare and beautiful Galaxy frogs threatened by photo tourism. Available at: https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/photography/nature-and-wildlife-photography/the-tragic-cost-of-wildlife-photography-rare-and-beautiful-galaxy-frogs-threatened-by-photo-tourism (Accessed: 1 November 2026).
How to cite this guide. Alex, A., & Joseph, A. (2026). amphibians of India: A guide for photographers and cinematographers. Creative Hut Academy. https://creativehut.org/library/amphibians-of-india/
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