16 Beautiful but Deadly Frogs
Ken Griffiths / Getty Images
This poison frog is quite a bit different from the others. First, it doesn't live in the rainforests of Central and South America, but in the sub-alpine areas of Australia. Second, instead of getting its toxins from its prey, it actually produces its own poison.25 It is the first vertebrate discovered that makes its own alkaloids, and similar to other poisonous frogs, it uses them for self-defense. These tiny frogs don't breed until four years of age, and hibernate during winters. Unfortunately, like so many other frog species, it is critically endangered with populations plummeting over the last three decades due to tourism, pollution, and chytrid fungus.
This poison frog is quite a bit different from the others. First, it doesn't live in the rainforests of Central and South America, but in the sub-alpine areas of Australia. Second, instead of getting its toxins from its prey, it actually produces its own poison.25 It is the first vertebrate discovered that makes its own alkaloids, and similar to other poisonous frogs, it uses them for self-defense. These tiny frogs don't breed until four years of age, and hibernate during winters. Unfortunately, like so many other frog species, it is critically endangered with populations plummeting over the last three decades due to tourism, pollution, and chytrid fungus.
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24 December 2021
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