Located at the upper level entry to the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory is one of two poison dart frog terraria. This terrarium is the home to several yellow and black frogs, Dendrobates leocomelas.

Poison Frogs: Where does the poison come from?
Frogs in the family Dendrobatidae secrete poisons from their skin. Unable to manufacture these toxins themselves, they rely on their diet for the source of their poisons. Some plants in the rainforest produce alkaloids, toxins that discourage herbivores. Despite these protections, some insects such as ants and mites, adapted to have immunity to the toxins, eat the plants and store the alkaloids. Dendrobatid frogs, also immune to the toxins, eat these toxic insects and use the poison as protection! These frogs are not poisonous in captivity due to their diet. They are fed vitamin-dusted fruit flies, which do not contain the alkaloids necessary to produce toxins.

A healthy forest makes a healthy frog
Frogs are commonly considered bioindicators, species that measure the health of the ecosystem in which they live. Poison frogs are some of the first organisms to show the consequences of pollution. They have thin permeable skin, the ability to absorb and concentrate toxins, and they have everyday contact with water. This makes them especially prone to population declines or genetic malformations caused by pollution. In addition, rainforest loss depletes food sources for the poison frogs; many poison frog species have now been placed on the endangered species list.

Terrarium- A rainforest in miniature
Not only is this terrarium an attractive home for our amphibian friends, it is also a good tool for growing some small and delicate tropical plants. The glass enclosure helps maintain high levels of humidity and moderates temperature for sensitive plants. A light hood enables hobbyists to grow plants in low light areas of the house. Among the many plants suitable for a tropical terrarium are African violets, small ferns, and some orchids and bromeliads.