Golden Poison Dart Frog
The Golden Poison Dart Frog is one of the most poisonous animals in the world. A frog carries 1,900 micrograms of venom. One frog venom is enough to kill 10 adult humans more than 20,000 mice. The frog was discovered in 1973 and first scientifically described in 1978. The Golden Poison frog is the largest of the poisonous dart frogs and can grow up to 5 centimetres. Some frogs are just 1.5 cm long. Its colour can be golden-orange, golden-yellow or pale green. The frog is also known as the Golden Frog, the Golden Poison Arrow Frog and the Gold Dart Frog.
The Golden Dart frog is not an easy friendly type. It is the ‘touch me, you’ll definitely die’ type frog. It keeps its poison in glands beneath its skin. The venom is used only to protect it from predators, without killing any prey. It has no delivery system (such as sharp teeth or spines) and can only secrete toxins through its skin. Frogs do not produce poison by themselves. They get them from their prey like ants they can carry plant poisons. They eat the prey and start suppress the toxins in their body. These prey products are the main source of poison frogs' toxins.
Toxin equivalent to two grains of salt is enough to kill one person. This toxin permanently blocks nerve impulses, which can lead to heart failure. Death occurs within 10 minutes and there is no treatment to cure. The poison is called batrachotoxin. Batrachotoxin belongs to a large chemical group called alkaloids, which are found in many animals and plants. Even the smallest amounts cause paralysis and death when it enters the bloodstream.
Golden Poison frogs live regionally and on land. The female lays eggs on the ground and the male frog carries the larvae to permanent ponds. These species eat small invertebrates such as flies, beetles, crickets, ants and termites. The larvae eat algae and microscopic plants, such as carrion and small tadpoles. They live in a small rainforest on the Pacific coast of Colombia. Despite its overpopulation in small range, widespread extinction of the rainforest puts the species on the international endangered lists. To protect this frog and its habitat, World Land Trust has helped to create the Rana Terribilis Amphibian Reserve. It is one of the world's wettest tropical rainforests.
- The indigenous Emberá people of Colombia have used its poison for centuries when hunting
- Its venom is 20 times more toxic than other dart frogs
- Dry poison is powerful for a year
- The back and bottom of the juveniles are black with a pair of gold stripes
- Some adults have black marks on the nose and toes
- Sexual maturity of these frogs is based on body size rather than age
- Females are larger than males
- Baby frogs too have poison
- There are more than 100 poison dart frog species
- The medical research community has developed powerful pain reliever by its venom
Enter your first comment!