Five Facts About Rain Forest Frogs

Predator Evasion

• Many rainforest frogs employ evasion techniques to dodge the attention of predators. Red-eyed tree frogs, for example, use the bright colors found all over their bodies to ward off predators such as snakes. The frog will blink its eyes, which are large and red, and use its yellow and blue flanks in a technique called startle coloration, to disorient the predator. The overwhelming colors of rainforest frogs also have a similar function in that they confuse the keen eyes of predators, literally over-stimulating the predator's vision.

Colors

• The colors found on rainforest frogs keep predators at bay in another way, too. The frogs may be brightly colored, but rainforest predators know that these bold colors indicate that the frogs are poisonous, and are put off eating them as a result. Frogs can also use their colored bodies to lurk in the shadows of the rainforest, and tree frogs can even adjust their colors to suit their mood, changing from lime green to a darker shade.

Climbing

• The brightly colored feet of rainforest frogs aren't just used as part of their startle coloration tactic; these feet are armed with footpads, which resemble cups. These footpads stick to the leaves of trees, allowing the frogs to gain entry into the rainforest canopy and there hunt for food such as insects.

Threats

• Rainforest frogs are under threat from a variety of sources. For a start, their rainforest homes are being demolished, reducing their habitats. Human interference, such as the chemicals mankind introduces through pesticide use in the habitat of these frogs, is also a problem. The sun itself is an issue for rainforest frogs. Thanks to the damage humans have done to the Earth's ozone layer, more UV-B rays now flood the rainforests; these can have a damaging effect on the eggs of frogs.

Poison

• Some rainforest frogs are known for their poisonous nature. These include the aptly named poison dart frogs, including the golden poison arrow frog, whose venom can be fatal to humans. The venom extracted from certain subspecies of these frogs is utilized to tip the arrows of the Amerindian tribes who reside in the frogs' rainforest homes. Experts attribute the poison found in some arrow frogs to the ingestion of insects that the frogs prey on, which itself enters these insects through their consumption of plants.