Zoo Buddy: Dart Frogs!

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Meet the dart frogs at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo in Monroe!

They come in multiple colors, but all have one thing in common: they’re poisonous!

General Curator Lisa Taylor says the poison comes from what they eat in the wild.

“The common name, dart-poison frogs, is derived from a practice of the Indians of the Emberá Chocó in Colombia, in which they rub their blowgun darts onto the backs Phyllobates terribilis load the darts with poison (Myers et al., 1978). Dendrobatids are ant and mite specialists, and some researchers have argued that their skin toxins are derived from precursor molecules in the ants they eat (e.g. Caldwell 1996)," explains the University of Michigan’s Zoology program.

While construction continues on the new Louisiana Purchase Exhibit, the Reptile Building is closed. Until then, you can request some reptiles at educational programs or birthday parties, or you might just see one at the zoo when staff are taking them on a stroll. Call 318-329-2400 for more information.

Due to weather delays, construction crews believe the new exhibit will be open sometime in spring of 2026.

You can also volunteer with the zoo. Contact the Louisiana Purchase Zoological Society through their Facebook page.

The zoo is open every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can get tickets to feed the budgies, feed the tortoises, ride the boat, or ride the train at the front office.

Click here for a breakdown of their prices.