Meet the Frog Licker | National Geographic

off the southeastern coast of Africa

off the southeastern coast of Africa lies the island of Madagascar you may

lies the island of Madagascar you may

lies the island of Madagascar you may know Madagascar for its wild eyed lemurs

know Madagascar for its wild eyed lemurs

know Madagascar for its wild eyed lemurs but it’s also home to one of the world’s

but it’s also home to one of the world’s

but it’s also home to one of the world’s most colorful and Vivian’s the Mantella

most colorful and Vivian’s the Mantella

most colorful and Vivian’s the Mantella poison frog poison frogs aren’t born

poison frog poison frogs aren’t born

poison frog poison frogs aren’t born poisonous but rather their proof of the

poisonous but rather their proof of the

poisonous but rather their proof of the old saying you are what you eat their

old saying you are what you eat their

old saying you are what you eat their toxins come from something in their diet

toxins come from something in their diet

toxins come from something in their diet which is largely ants millipedes and

which is largely ants millipedes and

which is largely ants millipedes and minds but which of those insects is it

minds but which of those insects is it

minds but which of those insects is it exactly and will a collapse of insect

exactly and will a collapse of insect

exactly and will a collapse of insect diversity threaten the frogs ability to

diversity threaten the frogs ability to

diversity threaten the frogs ability to survive meet herpetologist and National

survive meet herpetologist and National

survive meet herpetologist and National Geographic grantee Valerie C Clark this

Geographic grantee Valerie C Clark this

Geographic grantee Valerie C Clark this is mental a bit silly Oh a very

is mental a bit silly Oh a very

is mental a bit silly Oh a very widespread Malagasy poison frog nerd

widespread Malagasy poison frog nerd

widespread Malagasy poison frog nerd occurs throughout the country this

occurs throughout the country this

occurs throughout the country this appears to be a graphic female how do I

appears to be a graphic female how do I

appears to be a graphic female how do I know because it’s just very very fat for

know because it’s just very very fat for

know because it’s just very very fat for each site Clark and her team used GPS

each site Clark and her team used GPS

each site Clark and her team used GPS data to log the frogs location and other

data to log the frogs location and other

data to log the frogs location and other useful information they also need to

useful information they also need to

useful information they also need to collect as many insects as possible to

collect as many insects as possible to

collect as many insects as possible to try to track down exactly what these

try to track down exactly what these

try to track down exactly what these frogs are eating we used what’s called a

frogs are eating we used what’s called a

frogs are eating we used what’s called a mini Winkler’s

mini Winkler’s

mini Winkler’s to get an idea of the local arthropod or

to get an idea of the local arthropod or

to get an idea of the local arthropod or insect diversity with a focus on ants

insect diversity with a focus on ants

insect diversity with a focus on ants and what we do is we chop up

and what we do is we chop up

and what we do is we chop up and sift like leaf litter then we put it

and sift like leaf litter then we put it

and sift like leaf litter then we put it into a mesh bag we hang the mesh bag

into a mesh bag we hang the mesh bag

into a mesh bag we hang the mesh bag inside of a nice slick nylon bag it’s a

inside of a nice slick nylon bag it’s a

inside of a nice slick nylon bag it’s a little plastic bag at the bottom with

little plastic bag at the bottom with

little plastic bag at the bottom with alcohol in it as the soil dries out

alcohol in it as the soil dries out

alcohol in it as the soil dries out inside of this mesh bag the insects

inside of this mesh bag the insects

inside of this mesh bag the insects leave it to try to find moisture or soil

leave it to try to find moisture or soil

leave it to try to find moisture or soil and fall out and become our symbols

they’re quick little buggers how do you

they’re quick little buggers how do you sample the toxins in a frog’s skin well

sample the toxins in a frog’s skin well

sample the toxins in a frog’s skin well there are a couple of methods on this

there are a couple of methods on this

there are a couple of methods on this trip I’ve just been taking alcohol

trip I’ve just been taking alcohol

trip I’ve just been taking alcohol unlike a little tissue and wiping their

unlike a little tissue and wiping their

unlike a little tissue and wiping their backs to get some additional samples to

backs to get some additional samples to

backs to get some additional samples to look at variability in individual poison

look at variability in individual poison

look at variability in individual poison frogs at different sites the Clark also

frogs at different sites the Clark also

frogs at different sites the Clark also has another way of testing for these

has another way of testing for these

has another way of testing for these toxins in the field what she calls a

toxins in the field what she calls a

toxins in the field what she calls a quick lick taste test oh it’s definitely

quick lick taste test oh it’s definitely

quick lick taste test oh it’s definitely bitter bitterness equals toxic the

bitter bitterness equals toxic the

bitter bitterness equals toxic the reason Clark doesn’t keel over from the

reason Clark doesn’t keel over from the

reason Clark doesn’t keel over from the poison is because Mantella are only

poison is because Mantella are only

poison is because Mantella are only mildly toxic to humans they are brightly

mildly toxic to humans they are brightly

mildly toxic to humans they are brightly colored best to serve as a warning to

colored best to serve as a warning to

colored best to serve as a warning to potential predators to stay away these

potential predators to stay away these

potential predators to stay away these alkaloid chemicals in the Frog skin that

alkaloid chemicals in the Frog skin that

alkaloid chemicals in the Frog skin that may be harmful to other creatures could

may be harmful to other creatures could

may be harmful to other creatures could be helpful to humans they might hold the

be helpful to humans they might hold the

be helpful to humans they might hold the key to new medicines such as pain

key to new medicines such as pain

key to new medicines such as pain relievers and heart disease fighting

relievers and heart disease fighting

relievers and heart disease fighting drugs by sampling frogs for their toxic

drugs by sampling frogs for their toxic

drugs by sampling frogs for their toxic chemicals we’re perfecting Lee taking a

chemicals we’re perfecting Lee taking a

chemicals we’re perfecting Lee taking a shortcut to the many many chemicals that

shortcut to the many many chemicals that

shortcut to the many many chemicals that exist in countless insects in the

exist in countless insects in the

exist in countless insects in the rainforests I really want poison frogs

rainforests I really want poison frogs

rainforests I really want poison frogs to be viewed by the general public in

to be viewed by the general public in

to be viewed by the general public in the same way that the Madagascar’s

the same way that the Madagascar’s

the same way that the Madagascar’s charismatic chameleons and lemurs are I

charismatic chameleons and lemurs are I

charismatic chameleons and lemurs are I believe that they’re really really

believe that they’re really really

believe that they’re really really important

important

important because they lead us to drugs and

because they lead us to drugs and

because they lead us to drugs and potential green pesticides but also just

potential green pesticides but also just

potential green pesticides but also just because they’re gorgeous back in the

because they’re gorgeous back in the

because they’re gorgeous back in the village the results look promising oh

village the results look promising oh

village the results look promising oh here we go

here we go

here we go loser a notice preparer yes a little

loser a notice preparer yes a little

loser a notice preparer yes a little millipede that has several alkaloids in

millipede that has several alkaloids in

millipede that has several alkaloids in common with Mantella poison frogs I’m

common with Mantella poison frogs I’m

common with Mantella poison frogs I’m very excited about these this is

very excited about these this is

very excited about these this is certainly making up the great portion of

certainly making up the great portion of

certainly making up the great portion of them until a diet and has great

them until a diet and has great

them until a diet and has great potential to end up being some of the

potential to end up being some of the

potential to end up being some of the sources of their chemicals in order for

sources of their chemicals in order for

sources of their chemicals in order for the frogs toxins to be effective they

the frogs toxins to be effective they

the frogs toxins to be effective they need a variety of prey to dine on the

need a variety of prey to dine on the

need a variety of prey to dine on the bigger the forests the more insects to

bigger the forests the more insects to

bigger the forests the more insects to choose from the frogs have more of these

choose from the frogs have more of these

choose from the frogs have more of these different chemicals and undisturbed

different chemicals and undisturbed

different chemicals and undisturbed primary rainforest which is just another

primary rainforest which is just another

primary rainforest which is just another reason to show that as we start to

reason to show that as we start to

reason to show that as we start to disturb rainforests and cut them down

disturb rainforests and cut them down

disturb rainforests and cut them down there are less toxic chemicals that have

there are less toxic chemicals that have

there are less toxic chemicals that have the potential for drug development so

the potential for drug development so

the potential for drug development so the more primary forests that we have

the more primary forests that we have

the more primary forests that we have the better chance we have of finding new

the better chance we have of finding new

the better chance we have of finding new drug leads near the end of her journey

drug leads near the end of her journey

drug leads near the end of her journey Clark has collected five hundred tubes

Clark has collected five hundred tubes

Clark has collected five hundred tubes of insects these are dietary footprints

of insects these are dietary footprints

of insects these are dietary footprints that could lead her to some sources of

that could lead her to some sources of

that could lead her to some sources of the frogs toxins I believe that

the frogs toxins I believe that

the frogs toxins I believe that understanding factors that affect the

understanding factors that affect the

understanding factors that affect the lintel distribution is critical for

lintel distribution is critical for

lintel distribution is critical for designing good conservation strategies

designing good conservation strategies

designing good conservation strategies clearly she has a lot of lab work ahead

clearly she has a lot of lab work ahead

clearly she has a lot of lab work ahead of her but already she’s coming to one

of her but already she’s coming to one

of her but already she’s coming to one conclusion in order to save the poison

conclusion in order to save the poison

conclusion in order to save the poison frogs of Madagascar people have to save

frogs of Madagascar people have to save

frogs of Madagascar people have to save the habitat with its diversity of

the habitat with its diversity of

the habitat with its diversity of insects sponsored by National Geographic

insects sponsored by National Geographic

insects sponsored by National Geographic mission programs taking science and

mission programs taking science and

mission programs taking science and exploration into the new millennium