Experts suggest that the neurotoxin epibatidine, derived from poisonous frogs in South America, was likely used to poison Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Eastern European capitals have reported that Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, was poisoned with the neurotoxin epibatidine, which is found in certain poisonous frog species native to South America. The specific species considered most likely to contain this toxin are commonly found in the jungles of Ecuador and Peru. These frogs can be easily obtained through both legal channels with permits and illegal means for just a few dollars.
Andrea Teran from Ecuador's Jambatu Center for Amphibian Research and Conservation noted that these frogs are readily available in markets. Data from CITES permits indicate that over 800 individuals of the suspected species – Epipedobates anthonyi, known as Antonio's poison frog – have been legally exported from Ecuador in the last decade. This suggests a troubling ease of access to a substance that could be weaponized for political assassination.
Despite images of spies wandering through Ecuadorian jungles or black markets, experts believe it is more probable that the toxin used in Navalny's poisoning was a synthetic replica rather than a natural extract. This raises significant questions about the safety and regulation of potentially lethal toxins and their availability through illegal or unregulated means, particularly in politically volatile regions.
