Most people are familiar with South and Central America’s iconic poison dart frogs, especially the golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis), that carry the potent neurotoxic alkaloid batrachotoxin. The discovery of two new poisonous bird species in New Guinea — which carry the same toxin in their skin and feathers — demonstrates that batrachotoxin is more […]
Tag: toxins
National Park Service Reminds People Not to Lick Toads
The National Park Service provides plenty of reminders: don’t pet bison, keep your space from mama bears and their cubs, maybe avoid walking directly on boiling hot geothermal features at Yellowstone. Their newest recommendation makes you wonder: don’t lick toads. In a recent social media post, the NPS brought attention to the Sonoran desert toad, […]
Marine Animals Found on California Beaches with Signs of Domoic Acid Poisoning
Dozens of marine animals in California are being found on beaches with signs of poisoning. The animals appear disoriented and agitated, with their heads bobbing and their mouths foaming. Officials first became concerned in mid-August when sea lions, mostly adult females, were appearing on the southern California coast with signs of poisoning. “We are responding […]
A third of Wellington’s kākā parrot chicks found to have lead in their blood
Lead has been detected in nesting native kākā chicks in Wellington, but unusually, the birds look to have developed a tolerance to the toxin, a study has found. Kākā are a noisy, smart parrot, with bright green plumage and blood red patches under their wings and chest. They are particularly animated at dawn and dusk, […]
Snake Charmer Dies After Playing With Cobra, Bitten on Finger and Mouth
A snake charmer in Tanzania has died after being bitten by a cobra he was playing with. The 60-year-old snake charmer, James Henry, was a well-known snake charmer in the Kigoma area, in northwestern Tanzania. He was known locally for catching highly venomous snakes and killing them after capture. The snake charmer had been called […]
Charlotte County Birds Falling Ill from Dangerous Red Tide Toxins
The dreaded red tide has been plaguing Charlotte County beaches and making the local birds ill. The toxins from the red tide have already caused a negative impact on sea life, killing fish and sending other aquatic species into hiding. Pamela DeFouw, executive director of the Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida, said, “We’ve definitely seen […]