Frogs may look simple, but they have an entire world beneath those little bodies: special abilities, interesting adaptations, and surprising quirks. We found some incredible facts about frogs that will let you in on just how remarkable they truly are. Ribbit!
1. Frozen Yet Alive
Certain frog species, like the wood frog, have an extraordinary ability to survive being frozen solid during winter. They literally freeze up, stopping their heartbeat and metabolism. When spring arrives, they thaw and continue with life as if nothing happened. Some of these frogs can remain frozen for up to seven months!
2. The Most Poisonous Animal on Earth
The Golden Poison Frog, native to the Amazon rainforest, is the most toxic animal on the planet. Its skin secretes enough poison to kill multiple adult humans—or even two bull elephants. Indigenous hunters use its toxins to coat their blow darts, making it a lethal companion in the jungle.
3. Frog Dialects
Just like humans, frogs have regional dialects! Each frog species has a unique call, but even among the same species, calls differ depending on the region. Though humans can’t detect these slight differences, frogs can recognize and distinguish between dialects, making communication within their species even more intricate.
4. Frogs and Toads: Same Family
Despite common belief, there’s no strict biological difference between frogs and toads. Toads are essentially just bumpy frogs! The term “toad” is informal and often used to describe certain frog species with rough, warty skin, but scientifically, all toads are classified as frogs.
5. The Ultimate Stomach Reset
Frogs can’t vomit like humans do. When they ingest something harmful, they perform “gastric eversion,” which means they eject their entire stomach out of their mouths to clean it off! Afterward, they simply pull their stomach back into their bodies—an efficient, if extreme, solution.
6. Pet Poison Dart Frogs
In the wild, poison dart frogs are among the most poisonous creatures, but in captivity, they’re completely harmless. Wild poison dart frogs get their toxicity from a diet of specific ants that consume poisonous plants. In captivity, without this diet, they pose no threat and actually make colorful, exotic pets.
7. Frogs as Milk Preservers
Before refrigeration, people in Russia and Finland preserved milk by placing a live brown frog into the milk. The frog would secrete a natural antibiotic through their skin that would kill off bacteria that cause milk to go bad, thereby making the milk last longer.