Golden Frogs of Panama

This exhibit features the deadliest frog in the world, the Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis) of Colombia. While many frogs are called “Dart Frogs”, only frogs of this genus were ever used to poison the tips of blowgun darts. The sources of their toxins are not fully understood, but part of the puzzle is their diet of wild ants and beetles that eat poisonous plants. Golden Poison Frogs are raised here on fruit flies and crickets that consume North American vegetables, so they contain no toxins.