Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis): habitat and range

Fun facts

Its poison could kill ten adult humans.
The Emberá people used it to poison hunting darts.
In captivity, without its natural diet, it stops producing poison.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - light bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat and environment: Tropical rainforest of the Pacific coast of Colombia (Chocó), in a very restricted range of under 5,000 km²
Size at birth: They hatch from eggs after ~2 weeks; the males carry the larvae on their backs to the water
Sexual maturity: Roughly 18 months, though tied more to size than to exact age
Gestation / incubation: ~2 weeks until the egg hatches; metamorphosis complete after 10-14 weeks in the water
Litter / clutch size: Up to 20-28 eggs per clutch
Life expectancy in captivity: Up to 20 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Dimensions.com; Animal Diversity Web; National Geographic; The Animal Facts; Wikipedia (Golden poison frog); Citizen Conservation breeding guidelines; IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2017, IUCN Red List (En peligro): población en descenso continuo por deforestación, conversión a cultivos, minería y contaminación por pesticidas || IUCN Red List, evaluación de Phyllobates terribilis; Animal Diversity Web

Where to find it

Best time: All year round, after rain

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Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Golden Poison Frog — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

Same taxonomic family

Related to

How to help

The golden poison frog is classified as endangered. Organisations such as Fundación ProAves work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.

Visit the Fundación ProAves website

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Golden Poison Frog