Golden poison frog

The golden poison frog is one of the tiniest, brightest frogs in the world. A grown-up is only about as long as your thumb, and it shines in a bold colour like sunny yellow, orange, or minty green. It lives in the warm, rainy forests along the Pacific coast of Colombia, in South America.

Even though it is small, this little frog carries a big secret in its skin. Its skin makes a special substance that keeps hungry animals from wanting to eat it. That is exactly what the bright colour is for: it is a warning sign. In nature, flashy colours often mean “I taste terrible, so please leave me alone.” Animals that see the frog learn to stay away, and the frog stays safe.

Here is the surprising part: the frog does not make its skin protection all by itself. It gets it from the tiny wild insects it eats, like little ants and beetles in the forest. Frogs that are raised on different food grow up completely harmless. So the golden poison frog is not looking for any trouble — it just wants to hop about and hunt bugs in peace.

Golden poison frogs are caring parents. After the eggs hatch on the forest floor, the wriggly tadpoles climb onto a parent’s back and hitch a ride. The grown-up carries them up into the plants and gently pops them into little pools of water that collect inside the leaves, where the tadpoles can grow.

Sadly, these frogs live in only a small patch of forest, and much of that forest is being cut down. Because their home is shrinking, the golden poison frog is listed as Endangered. The good news is that people are protecting the rainforest and raising these frogs safely, so this dazzling little jewel of the forest can keep on shining.