PEORIA (March 20, 2022) – Hop to it and join Peoria Zoo as it celebrates World Frog Day on Sunday, March 20. The community is invited to be a part of this special program day in order to raise awareness about the different species of frogs that live at Peoria Zoo along with ways to help protect them further from potential extinction.
The Zoo will be celebrating by offering activities all day long inside the Tropics Classroom. The Zoo is open from 10am - 5pm, with last admission at 4:30pm.
At Peoria Zoo, we have four different species of frogs available to view in the Conservation Center. They are:
- Green and Black Poison Dart Frog
- Panamanian Golden Frog
- Anthony’s Poison Arrow Frogs
- Yellow-headed Poison Frogs
A few fun facts about the frogs are:
- All Dart Frogs are not toxic in human care because their diets are controlled. In the wild the toxicity comes from the ants and other insects they eat in their natural habitat.
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The Green and Black Poison Dart Frog's bright colors are used to warn predators of their poison. Predators usually recognize the bright color and avoid them.
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Unlike other frogs, the Panamanian Golden Frog lacks eardrums and communicates by waving its hands.
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Upon hatching Anthony’s Poison Arrow Frog males will carry all of the juveniles on his back to a nearby water source, where they will complete the next stage of their development on their own.
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Yellow-headed Poison Frogs are also known as BumbleBee Dart Frogs as they are considered one of the loudest Dart Frogs when they call to warn off predators.
Conservation Status: The Panamanian Golden Frog is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, listed endangered with USFWS, and are possibly extinct in the wild. It is under Appendix I of CITES and AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) cooperatively manages this species as a Species Survival Plan, of which Peoria Zoo participates.
