Green poison frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Green poison frog |
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The green poison frog (Andinobates viridis) is a tiny, bright green frog. It belongs to the Dendrobatidae family, also known as poison dart frogs. These frogs are very small, usually only about 14 to 16 millimeters long. That's about the size of your fingernail!
Their bodies are a uniform green color. Their backs and legs are a brighter green. The underside of their body has a cool metallic shine. This special frog lives only in a specific part of Colombia, South America. You can find it on the western side of the Cordillera Occidental mountain range.
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Where the Green Poison Frog Lives
These amazing frogs make their homes in forests. They prefer both untouched, old forests and healthy new forests. You can find them living at altitudes from about 100 meters up to 1300 meters high. This is where special plants called bromeliads grow.
Bromeliads: A Frog's Home
Bromeliads are very important to the green poison frog. These plants collect water in their leaves, forming tiny pools. The frogs use this water for many things. It's a vital resource for them and other small creatures.
Green poison frogs are quite picky about their bromeliad homes. They look for specific features in the plants. This includes the size of the water pool and how clean the water is. They don't just use any bromeliad they find. They need the perfect one!
Why This Frog Is So Rare
The green poison frog is extremely rare. Scientists believe there are fewer than 50 of them left. It's even possible that none are left in the wild. This frog has not been seen since 2005.
Because of this, its conservation status was changed in 2017. It went from being "Vulnerable" to "Critically Endangered". This means it's very close to becoming extinct. Some scientists even think it might already be extinct.
Threats to the Green Poison Frog
Many things threaten the green poison frog's survival.
- Habitat Loss: One of the biggest problems is deforestation. This is when forests are cut down. When forests disappear, the frogs lose their homes.
- Pollution: Pollution also harms their environment.
- Other Species: Invasive species and other problematic animals can also be a threat.
- Diseases: Diseases can spread among frog populations.
Bromeliad plants are also facing threats. If these plants disappear, the green poison frog will lose its home and water source. This is called "co-extinction." It means two species might go extinct together because they depend on each other.
What Green Poison Frogs Eat
These small frogs have a diet of tiny insects. They eat things like:
- Drosophila (tiny flies)
- Micro-crickets
- Small wax maggots
- Meadow plankton
- Springtails
The green poison frog is not usually found in the international pet trade. This means people don't often keep them as pets. Also, these frogs do not migrate. They stay in their specific forest homes.
