What do you need to know about poison dart frogs?

Only a few people have seen a Poison Dart Frog for real, but those who have seen these Frogs can’t get enough of them. They are the most toxic animals globally, yet they are full of vibrance like no other. They live a colourful life that will make you envy them right at the moment. They are carnivore animals and are divided into nearly 150 species across the globe. You are most likely to get them in the Tropical rainforest regions of the world. However, since they are endangered now, you will have a hard time locating them even there. 

If you want to know what these little creatures are, read this entire article to find out. We promise; you will not be disappointed. 

What are poison dart frogs?

These are Amphibians that are full of toxicity. Generally, they are all relatively small in size and end up being anything less than 5.5 centimetres. Although it is pretty rare for frogs to be active during the daytime, they are daily instead of their other species. Yes, they are pretty poisonous without any doubt, but this is not why they attack people. Instead, they use their colourful bodies to deter predators. These animals love to be seen and come in an assortment of colours and patterns. 

Where can you find them?

It is easy to find any Poison Dart Frog in the Tropical rainforest regions of the world. Generally, they are present in Central and South America. These creatures also live in diverse types of tropical environments. Shrubland, marshes and swamps are some of the places where you may end up finding them. You may also observe them in savanna grasslands and farmland, to be precise. Recently, people have seen more of these creatures than any other. This is because of the problems of deforestation. You can also find these frogs in Ecuador, Suriname and Guiana, to be precise. 

What do they eat?

We have already talked about how Poison Dart Frogs are carnivores in nature. As such, they eat small insects like ants, termites, young crickets and even beetles. Since they are great hunters, they do not have to suffer enough for food. They also have long and sticky tongues that allow them to find their food and hunt for it without any inconvenience. This is why they can enjoy diversity in food. In many scientific studies, it is also proven that these frogs gain their toxicity out of their eating habits too. 

How toxic are these frogs?

Although not all types of Poison Dart Frogs are poisonous, those that are may be highly toxic. These frogs are known for containing position in their skin and deterring diverse kinds of predators. That is why it is not safe to be around these frogs if you want to live a long life. The Golden Dart Frog is the most venomous of all of them. It is known that it carries the potential to kill nearly 20,000 mice and 20 fully-grown people at once in its skin. Isn’t that scary? That is why they are best left alone and not chased after. 

Are these frogs endangered?

Today, numerous types of Poisonous frogs stand on the endangered list because of several reasons. For starters, deforestation has become a growing concern as it takes away these poor creatures’ natural habitat. That is why they are being devoid of proper shelter and becoming more exposed to predators than ever. This is bringing a decrease in their population quite steadily. Another primary reason for this is the growing infrastructural projects that leave them migrating from one place to another looking for food and water. 

In the last three decades, deforestation has destroyed many of their lives. That is why the natural species is getting destroyed and is unable to be found in abundance now. If this continues to happen, we are not far from watching these beautiful creatures go extinct too. Although we are to research and find more on this subject, sources suggest that these frogs might go extinct sooner than ever. Who knows what is to come next. 

The bottom line 

Poison Dart Frogs can go up to life for nearly 15 years. If it is a tadpole, it may take six to twelve weeks to turn into a frog. The transformation is also quite fascinating to observe. However, we do not recommend you to chase them for the same as they might end up killing you at once. You can find out more about them in educational centres. That is why we do not recommend you to delay and start learning about them. We promise; it will be an experience of a kind. Also, do make sure to raise awareness regarding these endangered species. If you try, you can save many lives. So, why not?