Jewels of the Rainforest: Poison Dart Frogs
By: Hamzah Jameel,
Staff Writer
Vibrantly colored and attractive, the jewels of the rainforest, though small, are very poisonous. Reaching up to approximately one inch in length, poison darts possess the world’s most feared venom in the Animal Kingdom. Poison Dart Frogs are an interesting little species, from their attractive coat, their parental instincts, habitat, IUCN status, to their venom uses, poison darts are quickly becoming a common household pet.
Like most frogs, poison darts flick their sticky-tipped tongues to catch their prey (“Poison Dart Frogs”). Using its powerful eyesight, the frog can catch even a fast-flying fly. Once captured, using the sticky end of the tongue, the prey is swallowed. All poison darts feast on small invertebrates, making them carnivorous. The Green and Black, Blue, Harlequin, Strawberry, Two-toned, Golden, and Golfodulcean Poison Dart Frogs, along with many others of the Dendrobatidae family, enjoy ants, to fulfill their dietary needs. Other species, like the Dying Poison Dart Frog, enjoy larger prey (Mattison, 190). The Three-striped Poison Dart Frog enjoys a relatively smaller-sized insect, the aphid (Mattison, 195). Since poison darts don’t possess venom on their own, they gain their venom from their diet, which often is poisonous, since insects eat poisonous plants (“Poison Dart Frogs”). Also, Poison darts are often observed eating and hunting during the day, since they are diurnal.
Male poison darts choose to take the time to attract females by vocalization and calling during the mating season, which is a relatively long process. Once mating rituals are complete, females then deposit up to a dozen of eggs. According to the Smithsonian Zoological Park, “the eggs are encased in a gelatinous substance for protection against decay (“Poison Dart Frogs”). During the development period, lasting for two weeks, one of the parents guards the eggs. After hatching, backpacking takes place where tadpoles climb on the parents’ back and enjoy a ride to a place where metamorphosis can take place safely. Different species do the process differently, for example, unlike most poison darts who lay their eggs on the ground, the Golfodulcean Poison Dart Frog, prefers to lay its eggs above the ground on leaves (Mattison, 200). In some species, like the Green and Black Poison Dart Frog, the male guards the eggs, while in other species, like the Red-banded Poison Dart Frog, the eggs are guarded by the female (Mattison, 176 & 182).
It may be a clear thing that poison darts live in the forests, but where in the forest? Some live in lowlands, some near streams, and some in higher elevations, but in general they are terrestrial, with some species, like the Red-banded Poison Dart Frog, that is a good climber (Mattison, 182). The Green and Black Poison Dart Frog prefers to have its home in a lowland (Mattison, 176). The Blue Poison Dart Frog would like a higher humidity bordering a nearby stream (Mattison, 178). On the other hand, the Red-banded Poison Dart Frog lives at a higher elevation (Mattison, 182). Poison darts are distributed in the shady rainforests of Central and South America, as well as on a few Hawaiian islands (“Poison Dart Frogs”).
IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has recognized several species of poison darts to be endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, infectious disease, and smuggling. Habitat loss is the primary blame to their endangerment. Jennifer Muller said, “Deforestation directly destroys their habitat, and leaves a hotter, drier, terrain that provides no place or food for them” (“Reasons for the Endangerment of the Poison Dart Frog”). Pesticides that kill insects, leave poison darts with no food, and on the other hand, pollute water bodies. Acid rain can causes weakness in the immunity of these frogs making them exposed to fatal diseases. Chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease affecting amphibians worldwide, also affects poison darts (“Reasons for the Endangerment of the Poison Dart Frog”). This disease is believed to be the cause of the international transport of amphibians. The international pet trade is increasingly demanding for rare specimens. Illegal smugglers capture wild poison darts for international trade. Data from the custom officials states that about 90% of the illegal export of poison darts die in transport because of very poor shipping conditions (“Reasons for the Endangerment of the Poison Dart Frog”). The Red-banded Poison Dart Frog is one of the Critically Endangered species, along with the Three-striped, Golden, and the Golfodulcean Poison Dart Frogs (Mattison, 182).
So, is this frog only deadly and poisonous? Fortunately, this has not been true. Long ago, the South American Indian group of tribes, the Emberá Chocó, used to tip their darts on the frog’s skin (“Frogs and Toads”). They caught the Golden Poison Dart Frog, since it has 20 times more venom than other poison darts, using a leaf to avoid handling (“Frogs and Toads”). Later they wiped two or three darts over the frog’s skin. After the process was done, the frog was released back into the wild. These darts were sometimes used for hunting and sometimes for fighting. Today, the medical research community is exploring the venom medical uses in the poison dart frogs. According to National Geographic, “they [the medical research community] have already developed a synthetic version of one compound that shows promise as a painkiller” (Poison Dart Frog).
Poison Darts are, nowadays, thriving in captive vivariums, which are, “terrariums used especially for small animals” (“Word Central”). But, unlike a terrarium, a vivarium is a living ecosystem, where there is real living moss as substrate, mimicking the actual forest conditions (“3 Care Tips for Poison Dart Frogs”). According to Jungle Bob, poison darts are purchased from captive breeders and feast on fruit flies, crickets, and worms.
From their beautiful colored skin to their wonderful behaviors of parental care, these frogs surely are one of the most amazing creatures on Earth. But, our human activities have caused a major decline in the population of these frogs. Is it possible that poison darts go “extinct” in the years to come?
Works Cited
“Frogs and Toads.” Princeton. Princeton Press, n.d. Web. 29 June 2014. http://press.princeton.edu/birds/mattison/dart/dart.pdf
Howcast. “3 Care Tips for Poison Dart Frogs|Pet Reptiles.” Online Video Clip. Youtube. Youtube, 11 Aug. 2013. Web. 29 June 2014.
Mattison, Chris. 300 Frogs. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books. 2007. Print.
“Poison Dart Frog.” National Geographic. n.p., n.d. Web. 29 June 2014. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/poison-frog/>
“Poison Dart Frogs.” Smithsonian Zoological Park. Smithsonian Institute, n.d. Web. 29 June 2014. <http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/amazonia/facts/fact-poisondartfrog.cfm>
“Reasons for the Endangerment of the Poison Dart Frog.” Animals. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 29 June 2014 <http://animals.pawnation.com/reasons-endangerment-poison-dart-frog2395.html>
“Vivarium.” Word Central. Merriam Webster, n.d. Web. 30 June 2014. <http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?book=Student&va=vivarium>