The golden poison frog is a tiny, brilliantly coloured frog found only in a small part of Colombia’s Chocó rainforest. Its range is threatened by deforestation, mining and illegal crops.
Interesting facts
- It is one of the most toxic animals known.
- Its bright colour warns predators of its toxicity.
- Emberá people have used the toxin on blowgun darts for hunting.
- Only one snake species is known to be somewhat resistant to its toxin.
- Males carry tadpoles on their backs to water.
- It has one of the smallest ranges of any vertebrate threatened with extinction.
Behaviour
Active by day, it hops openly on the forest floor, protected by its toxicity.
Breeding and young
Eggs are laid on the ground; males guard them and carry hatched tadpoles to small pools of water.
Threats and conservation
Habitat loss from logging, mining and agriculture, and illegal collection for the pet trade.
Where to see it
- Chocó region of Colombia (with specialist guides); seen widely in zoo breeding programmes
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
