Tiny poisonous frog that can kill 10 grown men to feature at zoo's new reptile exhibit

The golden poison frog, one of the most poisonous animals in the world. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
A blue poison dart frog rests on top of an emerald tree boa as it lays on a tree branch. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
The Parson's chameleon, the largest chameleon in the world. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
A regal horned lizard observing its own reflection. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
The Parson's chameleon, the largest chameleon in the world. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
The Roti Island snake-necked turtle is named for its unique neck, which is so long it cannot pull it back itside its shell. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM

SINGAPORE - The tiny golden poison dart frog, which measures just 5cm but has enough venom to kill 10 grown men, is one of the world's most poisonous animals.

And the public will get to see this amphibian, native to South America, at the Singapore Zoo's newest RepTopia exhibit.

There are less poisonous varieties of the poison dart frog, such as the blue variety, which will also be at the exhibit.

The exhibit features more than 60 different species of reptiles, about a third of which are threatened creatures that are held in the park as assurance colonies in case they go extinct in the wild.

Dr Luis Carlos Neves, director of zoology at Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said in a statement on Wednesday (May 24): "Through RepTopia, we are highlighting (these endangered species') plights in the wild to our visitors and engaging them to participate in efforts to conserve these creatures."

Opening this weekend, the attraction will allow visitors to learn about these cold-blooded creatures, whose existence is threatened by deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, and pollution.

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Other animals on exhibit include the Parson's chameleon, the world's largest chameleon, which is threatened by over-collection for the pet trade. There is also the Caiman lizard, which has a unique colour pattern - an olive to bright green body and a red or orange head.

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To engage younger visitors, the RepTopia exhibit also includes several interactive elements such as a bamboo forest for participants to navigate through, and informative touchscreen displays for them to learn more about the illegal wildlife trade.

The launch of RepTopia will be accompanied with several events, taking place throughout the June school holidays. Among them is the annual Zoolympix event, which takes participants on a learning journey to learn more about the different types of reptiles through a series of games.

For more information on the RepTopia exhibit and the activities taking place over the June school holidays, visit www.reptopia.sg.

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