Golden poison frog Facts for Kids
Phyllobates terribilis · fy-LOB-uh-teez ter-RIB-ih-lis
It is small and bright yellow, and its skin is very poisonous.
- 🏃 speed: not yet checked
- ⚖️ weight: not yet checked
- 📏 0.59 to 2.4 in1.5 to 6.2 cm1 long
- 🎂 10 years10 years2
- 🍽️ bugs
- In danger (Endangered)
The golden poison frog is small and bright yellow. Its color tells other animals to stay away. It lives in the rainforest and eats tiny insects.
The skin of the golden poison frog holds a strong poison, and its bright color is a warning to other animals. Scientists think the frog gets its poison from the ants and beetles it eats in the wild, because frogs raised in care are not poisonous. Never touch a wild frog, whatever color it is.
Bright warning colors work because animals learn to leave a bright frog alone. The golden poison frog is one of the most poisonous animals on Earth, and scientists study its poison to learn how nerves work. It lives on the forest floor in only a small part of Colombia, so it is in danger when the forest is cleared. Protecting that forest is the best way to protect the frog.
How big is a golden poison frog?
Golden poison frog in numbers
| Length | 0.59 to 2.4 in1.5 to 6.2 cm1not specific to Phyllobates terribilis |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | no checked number yet |
| Weight | no checked number yet |
| Top speed | no checked number yet |
| How long it lives | 10 years10 years2poison frogs in general; more than |
| What it eats | ants, beetles and other tiny insects |
| Where it lives | a small part of the rainforest on the Pacific coast of Colombia |
| What kind | Amphibians |
| Is it in danger? | In danger (Endangered)3 |
A number we couldn’t find on a page we trust says so, instead of guessing.
Wow!
- Its poison comes from the insects it eats in the wild.
- It is one of the most poisonous animals on Earth.
- It lives in only one small part of Colombia's rainforest.
Compare the golden poison frog
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Books about the golden poison frog, free at the library
Ask a grown-up to tap the button: it shows where to borrow a book about the golden poison frog for free.
Where these numbers come from
- US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species: poison dart frog (Dendrobates sp.) profile, checked 30 October 2026.
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, Poison frogs, checked 30 October 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 30 October 2026.
- Wikidata, Golden poison frog (Q963997), checked 30 October 2026.