Frogs in the Tropical Rainforest

According to site Tropical Rainforest Animals, the tropics (primarily found in Latin America and West Africa) are home to around 5,000 frog species, although the exact figure is not known as and more are discovered every year. For example, in 2009, Science Daily reported that between 129 and 221 new species of frog were discovered in Madagascar, almost doubling the amount of known species in the area. Included are a sampling of some of the more well-known frogs.

  1. Poison Dart Frogs

    • The poison dart frog is small, (around an inch long) and comes from the Dendrobatidae family. There are many different types of this specie, however, a poison dart is always recognizable by its bright coloring which could be yellow, black, blue, green or red appearing in stripes or swirls across its black. The poison dart frog lives in Central America and as its name suggests, it is extremely poisonous, secreting venom through its skin to protect it from predators. According to the site Shoarns, however, only a few have poison strong enough to kill a human being. A poison dart frog makes its venom by eating certain types of ants and beetles that contain toxic alkaloids, that the frog itself cannot produce.

    Red-eyed Tree Frog

    • The red-eyed tree frog lives in the rain forests of Central America and grows to around 2.75 inches in length. It is characterized by its bulging red eyes that scientists have suggested it developed to startle potential predators, giving the frog a chance to escape. The frog also has a bright green body and large orange feet. The amphibian is nocturnal and sleeps under leaves in the day and feed on crickets, flies and moths at night. Although due to its vibrant colors, it may look poisonous, the red-eyed tree frog is actually harmless.

    Goliath Frogs

    • Deep in the jungle of Equatorial Guinea, Africa lives and amphibian, which according to site AMNH, (American Museum of Natural History), is the biggest frog in the world. It is called the goliath frog, and full grown, with its legs and feet extended, measures over 2 1/2 feet long and can weigh up to 7 lbs. Sadly this frog, like many in rain forests around the world, is threatened by deforestation. Goliath frogs are a popular collector's item and many are taken from the wild and sold to zoos. However, they don't breed well in captivity and the only real hope for their continuing survival is to preserve their natural habitat in the wild.