I first saw a Poison Dart Frog in the wild in 2021, on our first Sea Turtle Eco Retreat in Costa Rica. I heard they were small, but I didn’t realize just how small. I knew at that moment that I had to print one, at scale, on a t-shirt.
There are over 175 different species of poison dart frogs and most of them are no larger than a paperclip, averaging 1.5cm or .59 inches in length. The two types we saw on our retreat were Blue Jeans Frog, because their blue legs against that red body makes them look like they're wearing denim, and the Black & Green Frog which is the one I featured on our new shirts!
Poison dart frogs are found in Central & South America and are known for their bright colors. Indigenous tribes used to collect the frogs’ poison and apply it to the tips of their arrows and darts before hunting, which is where they got their name.
Their bright colors warn predators of their toxicity; the most poisonous of the bunch, The Golden Poison Frog, has enough venom to kill 20 humans. Yeesh!
“Despite their small size, poison dart frogs are very important to their environments. Their diet plays a crucial role in controlling insect populations and preventing plants from being overconsumed. If poison dart frogs were to go extinct, it would cause major ecological problems in the forests of Central and South America. There would be an increase in insects and a decrease in larger animals—like lizards, snakes, and birds—who rely on these frogs as a food source.”
- IFAW.org
Our Poison Dart Frog print is available on Unisex/Men’s Tees, Kids Tees and a Women’s Tank - all are currently available in our Middletown store or at cinderandsalt.com
