Critters Corner – Poison Dart Frogs – Riverview Park and Zoo

Riverview Park and Zoo is now home to 24 Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs, Yellow-Headed Poison Dart Frog, and Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs, adopted from our friends at the Toronto Zoo. A group of poison dart frogs is called an “army”. These frogs are native to the rainforests of Central and South America. They come in a wide range of colours – yellow, green, and blue. The colourful design tells potential predators, “I’m toxic. Don’t eat me.” These frogs grow to be one to two inches long and have an average life span of 3 to 15 years. 

Poison dart frogs find their homes under leaves in the dense foliage of tropical forests. As amphibians, they live in places of high humidity, like under mossy rocks. 

They are considered one of the earths most toxic, or poisonous species. It is believed that they produce their poison from the insects that they eat in the wild. Indigenous cultures have used these frogs’ poison for centuries to coat the tip of their blow darts before hunting.

Typically, frogs in captivity, isolated from their native habitat, never develop poison and are not toxic. Poison dart frogs eat many kinds of small insects, including fruit flies, ants, termites, young crickets, and tiny beetles. They capture their prey with a long sticky tongue that darts out and zaps the unsuspecting bug.

Though not endangered the poison dart frogs do face risks. Habitat loss and fragmentation from logging is a threat, as is over collection. They are often taken from the wild for the exotic pet trade. Climate change is also a potential threat, as frogs in general are highly sensitive to even slight changes in their environment.

Find out more about the species that live at the only
free-admission accredited zoo in Canada by visiting our website
www.riverviewparkandzoo.ca 

By Cathy Mitchell, Program Supervisor
Riverview Park and Zoo