The poison dart frog is the common name given to the most poisonous animals on Earth.

Native to Central and South America, these species of frogs (family: Dendrobatidae) produce several lethal toxins that are capable of killing a human or other large animal with just 2 micrograms (μg). In other words, one drop of their venom could be powerful enough to kill 8000 people.

The most toxic of poison dart frog species is Phyllobates terribilis. Unlike snakes, dart frogs do not synthesize their poisons, but sequester the chemicals they consume from arthropod prey, such as ants, centipedes and mites. This is why in captivity, they produce far less poison than wild frogs due to their change in diet. What makes these frogs immune to their own poison i ...

The manchineel tree (Hippomane mancinella) has taken the title of world’s most dangerous tree. This evergreen grows up to 15 metres (49 ft) tall, and is native to tropical southern North America and northern South America. It has reddish-greyish bark, small greenish-yellow flowers, and shiny green leaves ranging in size from 5 to 10 cm (2–4 inches) long.

All parts of the tree contain strong toxins, some unidentified. The leaves and fruit of the tree superficially resemble an apple tree, however one bite of the tree’s fruit can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding, or death due to an acetylcholine inhibitor known as physostigmine found in the fruit. In addition, its milky white sap contains phorbol and other skin irritants, producing s ...

Shown above are vampire fish caught in Corona Falls, Guyana. Also called payara by locals, these Amazon Basin predators feed on other fish, especially piranhas, which they impale on their long fangs.

It's true, Brazil’s Lençóis Maranhenses National Park harbors a coastal dune field that floods during the wet season, January to May. The park’s creamy sand and sparkling water - rains trapped in ribbons of dunes - shelter nesting birds, turtles, and fish.

Source: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/365-photos/dunes-lencois-maranhenses-national-park-brazil/ ...

The KodKod (Leopardus guigna) is the smallest wildcat - it's even smaller than domestic cats. It lives primarily in central and southern Chile and marginally in adjoining areas of Argentina. Check out the video below for more information on this cute creature:

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Each year, over 1.2 million bolts of lightning are confined to the mouth of the Catatumbo River in Venezuela. It's the single highest concentration of lightning in the world.

Meet the Buffy Helmetcrest and White-bearded Helmetcrest, two new species of hummingbirds found in Colombia and Venezuela. Looks like someone's had a run-in with too much styling product...