Poison Dart Frogs

Information about Poison Dart Frogs:

Poison dart frog is the common name of a group of frogs of the family Dendrobatidae. These small and very brightly colored amphibians are found near the ground level in the lush tropical rainforests of Central and South America. While most frogs are active during the night, Dendrobates are generally active during the day. The name comes from the fact that the native peoples of the rainforest will gather up these frogs, boil them into a concentrated liquid that is then used on the tips of their pointed weapons such as blowdarts and arrows.

It is thought that the frogs develop their poison from the small insects they feed on, which means that captive bred species are less toxic than their wild relatives, because their diet is much different. Their name is a little deceptive, as their poison isn’t dangerous to humans and cannot be transmitted in large enough doses from handling them to cause any harm. But is instead used to discourage predators, and their vivid colorations serve a warning. Despite this defense, some predators have developed the ability to withstand their poison, including the Amazon ground snake.

Due to habitat loss, climate change, introduced species and the fungal disease Chytridiomycosis many species of dendrobates and related frogs are critically endangered.