Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications
If you’ve ever been inside a rainforest building, you’ve probably seen colorful poison dart frogs. If you haven’t visited the island in a while, now might be the perfect time to reintroduce these amazing amphibians.
A yellow-striped poison dart frog.Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Dendrobates are the common name for dozens of species of frogs that live in the warm, moist environments of the rainforests of Central and South America. The name comes from the fact that some indigenous peoples of the Amazon historically used toxic skin secretions from a few selected species to poison the tips of their hunting blow darts and arrows. is derived from
Green and black poison dart frog.Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Like most amphibians, these frogs begin their lives as tiny, gill-breathing, aquatic tadpoles. As they grow, they undergo metamorphosis to become terrestrial, lung-breathing adults that live in the trees, plants, and leaf litter of moist rainforests.
Poison dart frogs begin their lives as gill-breathing aquatic tadpoles.Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Some poison dart frogs have brightly colored bodies, such as yellow, orange, red, green, and blue, that visually warn predators that they are poisonous and that they should stay away. Scientists believe that some of the toxins they secrete through their skin come from the diet of certain types of ants, termites, and other insects. Some of the most colorful poison dart frog species in the wild are highly venomous, while others, such as the muted ones, are less toxic or not at all.
A yellow-striped poison dart frog.Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Two species of poison dart frogs live in separate habitats within the rainforest building: the yellow-striped poison dart frog and the green and black poison dart frog. Green-and-black poison dart frogs are native to Central and northern South America and are about 2 to 2.5 centimeters (about 1 inch) long when fully grown.
The yellow-striped poison dart frog has a range in northern South America, especially Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana. They are only slightly larger than green or black ones and reach 3-4 centimeters in length. It’s as tall as a stamp!
Green and black poison dart frog.Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo |
Toxicity levels of poison dart frogs living under human protection may differ compared to wild poison dart frogs. The reason has to do with their diet. The ones we protect feed on insects that have a different organic composition than those that their South American relatives can eat. In the case of our frog friends in the rainforest building, they thrive on a steady diet of locally raised fruit flies and small crickets. Hmmm!
Maintenance: Many species of poison dart frogs are endangered due to habitat loss and climate change affecting the health of rainforest ecosystems. You too can be part of the solution. Every time you visit a poison dart frog at Woodland Park Zoo, a portion of your ticket or membership fee helps support an organization that participates in our activities. Wildlife Survival Programs Including Amphibian Ark. A healthy amphibian population is an important indicator of a safe and healthy environment. Therefore, by focusing on the global survival of amphibians, Amphibian Ark also cares about the health and well-being of other wildlife and people.
The forest belongs to us all!Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo |
Learn more about why we need healthy forests, including forests of all types, as the best solution to combat climate change.it’s all part of us Forests for All Initiative— A movement to protect, restore and maintain forests around the world for wildlife and people. Please join us.