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Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 10:10 am
by Alexandre Roux
Hi everybody,

A few days ago, I was photographing some Euleptes on Frioul's island near Marseille with two friends when one of them just told me, after a few pictures, "I've heard of a study that pointed out that flash photography is extremely nocive to this gecko, making them blind". He said that what he heard about shows that 100% of flash photographed Euleptes died.
He's supposed to find me this study when he'll be back from holidays.

Never heard of that but if that's true, I think we must all know that !

Does anybody have any information? (or the paper)

Thanks in advance

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 3:42 pm
by Mario Schweiger
If it is true this are no good news.
Hope, your friend will find the study, so we can read it here.

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 3:53 pm
by Jeroen Speybroeck
Hard to believe...

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:15 pm
by Peter Oefinger
I don't know if they die but of course it is rather brutal flashing these noctual animals in their wide opened eyes. Think about the numerous nice pictures showing noctual Geckos licking their eyes - what do you think is the reason they are doing that?

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:50 pm
by Michal Szkudlarek
Geckos licking their eyes - what do you think is the reason they are doing that?

To keep eyes wet?

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:53 pm
by Mario Schweiger
Michal Szkudlarek wrote:To keep eyes wet?


maybe you should read a bit on reptiles morphology :oops:

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:10 pm
by Michal Szkudlarek
Mario Schweiger wrote:
Michal Szkudlarek wrote:To keep eyes wet?


maybe you should read a bit on reptiles morphology :oops:

Can you recommend anything?

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:20 am
by Ilian Velikov
Michal, are you trying to set a record for most posts or something?

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:35 am
by Michal Szkudlarek
Ilian Velikov wrote:Michal, are you trying to set a record for most posts or something?

No.

Re: Euleptes and flash photography

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:40 pm
by Karim Chouchane
Modern geckos have lost their eyelids. Their eyes are instead protected by a beta-keratin layer, which they clean using their tongue. So this repeated behaviour after flash exposure can indicate a vision loss.

I have not read specific information neither on Euleptes nor on nocturnal species, however one can expect the vision loss induced by flashes to increase with the light intensity, the flash frequency and the total exposure received by the eye. Most often the vision can be fully recovered (e.g. for the human eye) however irreversible damages (Retinal Light Damage) are not impossible at high exposures or for sensitive species.

Waiting for more informations on this case Alex!