Usually nocturnal, the golden poison frog is one of the largest dart frogs in existence, reaching a size of 55 mm. They have small adhesive discs on the toes of their legs that help them climb plants.

They get their name from their bright yellow colouration, which warns predators of their toxicity. This type of pigmentation is known as aposematic. The skin of the golden poison frog is impregnated with a poisonous alkaloid, called batrachotoxin, which produces a sustained release of acetylcholine in the neuromuscular plate, resulting in tetanic muscle contraction and death by respiratory arrest. This amphibian is considered one of the most toxic and poisonous animals in the world. They store their toxin in glands in the skin; therefore, they taste bad to predators. Their poison will kill anyone who eats them except the snake Liophis epinephelus, which is resistant to frog poison but not completely immune.

It is an endangered species because of the destruction of its habitat — the rainforest —, which is rapidly being deforested. And they are animals with very little tolerance to pollution.

This frog is the main source of the dart poison that natives use to hunt their food.

Conservation status