31st, August 1997

The Chameleon

Chameleons, famous for their ability to change colour according to the light, are mostly forest-dwelling lizards.

Chameleons have many special features. The first is their well-known ability to change colour. In addition, they can move each of their eyes independently, and in some species the tongue is as long as the body and extremely flexible.

This allows the chameleon to catch its prey from a distance. Finally, its toes are perfectly adapted for holding on to branches and it has a prehensile tail.

This lizard's capacity to change colour allows it to blend in with its surroundings. Each species possesses a certain colour range; changes in the skin depend mostly on the light, the background and also on the state of the animal. A chameleon can, for example, go white with anger. Changes of light may produce variation of colours; chameleons are pale at night and colourful by day.

Chameleons are hatched from eggs which are covered with a layer of soil. Like most reptiles, the females do not take care of their brood. Some species however are viviparous - giving birth to live young.

The chameleon is probably slower moving than even the tortoise. It stalks its prey before shooting out its tongue to trap it.

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