Call of the Wild
By Ethan Webb
Ethan is a staff writer at O . A . T . and he hopes to visit Costa Rica before he … croaks .
Costa Rica ’ s Frogs Are Dressed to Kill Don ’ t get too … hoppy to see them
Left : Though it appears to be wearing blue jeans , an encounter with the strawberry poison dart frog should not be treated casually .
The golden poison frog is a two-inch menace , widely considered to be one of the most toxic animals on the planet .
Explore the jungles of Costa Rica — home to poison dart frogs — on our Real Affordable Costa Rica adventure .
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While the poisonous frogs of Costa Rica might be about the size of a paperclip ( usually ranging from about 0.75 to 1.5
inches in length ), they certainly pack a punch .
Best known as “ dart frogs ” or “ spearhead frogs ,” these deadly critters belong to two families of poisonous amphibious animals : Dendrobatidae and Aromobatidae . Depending on individual habitats , their coloring can be yellow , gold , copper , red , green , blue , or black with elaborate designs purposed to ward off potential predators ( a tactic called aposematic coloration ).
True to their name , native tribes would extract poison from the backs of spearhead frogs to make weapons deadlier . The most poisonous of them all is the Phyllobates terribilis — or the “ golden poison frog .” One of these two-inch menaces has enough venom to kill 10 grown men , and one gram of its poison can kill 5,000 people .
However , perhaps the most famous species in Costa Rica is Oophaga pumilio , known colloquially as the “ strawberry poison dart frog .” Let ’ s just say this species wears stylish jumpsuits , the most common being orange with black spots ( thus their name ). Another frequently spotted coloration pattern is orange with bright blue markings on the toes and legs , making the frog look as if it is wearing a pair of blue jeans . Thus , these guys also get called the “ blue jeans poison dart frog .”
Not too surprisingly , scientists have been researching possible medicinal uses for some poison dart frog venom . In particular , the golden poison frog secretes the alkaloid toxin batrachotoxin , which is of interest to medical researchers who are trying to develop muscle relaxants , heart stimulants , and anesthetics . Already , they ’ ve developed a synthetic version of one compound that shows promise as a painkiller .
However , believe it or not , without the right bugs , these buggers are harmless . Poison dart frogs raised in captivity and isolated from insects in their native habitat never develop poison . Scientists are unsure of the source of poison dart frogs ’ toxicity , but it is possible they assimilate plant poisons which are carried by their prey , including ants , beetles , termites , and other arthropods . In captivity , they are fed small crickets , bean beetles , black worms , or fruit flies daily and , as a result , are not poisonous .
Fancy colors aren ’ t the only thing preventing poison dart frogs from becoming a snack , though . Most frogs see well only at a distance , but they have excellent night vision and are very sensitive to movement . The bulging eyes of most frogs allow them to see in front , to the sides , and partially behind them — meaning they have a field of vision of almost 180 degrees . On that note , here ’ s another fun fact for you : When a frog swallows food , it pulls its eyes down into the roof of its mouth to help push the food down its throat . They really have their eyes on the prize , huh ?
20 DISPATCHES • JUNE 2023