The golden poison frog is considered one of the most toxic animals on Earth. A single specimen measuring two inches has enough venom to kill ten grown men. The indigenous Emberá people of Colombia have used its powerful venom for centuries to tip their blowgun darts when hunting, hence the species’ name.
Source: 5-Minute Encyclopedia
Population
These brightly colored amphibians are among the largest of the more than 100 species of poison dart frogs, averaging over an inch in length. They live in a small patch of rain forest on the Pacific coast of Colombia. And although populations in its small range are abundant, widespread destruction of the rainforest has placed the species on the international endangered list.
Color and Diet
Their coloration, which can be yellow, orange, or light green, depending on their specific range, is deliberately ostentatious to scare away potential predators, a tactic known as coloration. aposmatic. Their diet includes flies, crickets, ants, termites and beetles.
Toxicity
Scientists aren’t sure about the source of this frog’s amazing toxicity, but it’s possible that they assimilate the phytotoxins carried by their prey. Poison dart frogs raised in captivity and isolated from insects in their native habitat never develop venom.
Medical researchers have been exploring possible therapeutic uses for the poison of the yellow poison frog. They have developed a synthetic version of one of the poison’s compounds that holds promise as a potent pain reliever.
