Golden Poison Dart Frog

American Museum of Natural History

Golden Poison Frog
Phyllobates terribilis

The most poisonous animal is not a snake or a spider. It's a beautiful little frog! Most frogs produce skin toxins, but the dart poison frogs from Central and South America are the most potent of all. The golden poison frog, called terribilis (the terrible), is so toxic that even touching it can be dangerous. A single terribilis contains enough poison to kill 20,000 mice or 10 people. It is probably the most poisonous animal on Earth.

Size: Up to 2 inches
Range: Western Colombia
Habitat: On the ground in lowland rainforest - often near rivers

The golden poison frog is found in moist tropical rain forests. They lay eggs on land, and when the tadpoles hatch, the male carries them on his back to a larger area of water where they will complete their metamorphosis.