MEET THE POISON DART FROGS

Poison dart frogs, also known as the jewels of the rainforest, are small and colourful amphibians that live on forest floors around the world. There are more than 175 species, all belonging to the family Dendrobatidae. They’re often only a couple of centimetres long, are diurnal (active in the daytime) and are commonly found living in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

Poison dart frogs were given their name because toxins secreted from their skin have been used to tip hunters’ arrows. The indigenous Emberá and Noanamá Chocó of western Colombia have used the skin of the golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis) to tip blowgun darts for hundreds of years.

These vibrant amphibians come in all