The poison dart frogs’ bright coloring warns predators that they are poisonous.

If you’ve visited the Zoo, you’ve likely met a lot of our more than 900 animal residents. Some animals are easy to spot, but others are often not as easy to see because of their habitat set up, their personalities or their sleep cycles among other things. We wanted to start a “Meet the Animals” section of our blog to introduce you to some of the residents that you may (or may not have) met yet! 

Have you ever wondered where poison dart frogs got their name? We’re here to give you the scoop! 

These little frogs got their moniker from the Indigenous peoples of South America. It’s said that the frogs’ toxic secretions were used to poison the tips of blow darts. But out of over 170 species of poison dart frogs, only four have been documented to be used for this purpose, said Herps & Aquatics zookeeper Jordan Lowery. 

We currently have 17 of these colorful creatures at our Zoo, including six Golfodulcean, one green and black, three bumblebee and seven dyeing poison dart frog species. Of these dyeing species, we have two color morphs: four yellowback and three Inferalanis species. 

While the source of their toxins is not fully understood by science, we know it likely comes from the frogs’ diets. Most of these frogs source their poison from their toxin-rich prey, including ants, termites, centipedes and beetles. The most vulnerable of these are the Golfodulcean frogs, a species containing batrachotoxins that shuts down a victim’s nervous system, causing paralysis and death. 

But rest assured, we feed all our frogs toxin-free insects like pinhead crickets, fruit flies, bean beetles and termites. This means our Zoo’s poison dart frog species actually have little to no toxins in their systems. 

“They are really fun to watch eat,” Jordan said. “They wiggle their middle toe on their back feet to attract prey, and it’s very cute.” 

A bumblebee (left) and Inferalanis poison dart frog (right) perch on a log in their habitat.

Another lesser-known fact is that these toxins have to be ingested or absorbed through contact with the skin to take effect. Still, it’s important that we handle these tiny amphibians with caution as they need to be protected from contact with us, too. If they are exposed to our touch, the frogs can absorb harmful substances like sunscreen, cleaning products, lotion and even just the natural oils from our skin. 

These Golfodulcean poison dart frogs weigh around 2 grams each!

Every day, our Herps & Aquatics team will look over each of our frogs to make sure everyone’s in order. And once a week, our team will thoroughly inspect each of them for any abnormalities, like weight changes or skin lesions. We also regularly swab them for fungal testing to safeguard their wellbeing.  

Yellowback poison dart frogs sport vibrant colors of cerulean blue and bright yellow. 

When it comes to enrichment, we place a big focus on husbandry to bring out the frogs’ natural behaviors. This includes rain showers, rotating their water dishes or treating them to food they haven’t received in a while. Most recently, Jordan has been experimenting with different plants and plant placements in their habitat, hoping to discover which environments best suit these amphibians. 

Though we don’t currently train our poison dart frogs, we do take steps to help them acclimate to potential changes in their environment. So, we move them around in small cups to make the experience as stress free as possible. 

Despite their fascinating nature, our poison dart frog family can often go overlooked. So, next time you’re walking through our Rainforest Revealed loop, be sure to pay them a special visit at our Venom House! 

Special thanks to Flammio Financial Group, Stifel-Garvin Wealth Management Group, Artemis IT, and Jim and Darleen Barfield. Their generosity makes our work possible! 

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.