Chameleons are not like other reptiles. Lizards do not generally inspire affection: their somewhat serpentine appearance seems sinister to some. But chameleons are different. Their ungainly yet solemn appearance and bizarre talents give them a comic, intriguing quality.
The great island of Madagascar boasts more unique chameleon species than anywhere else-at last count it was 59 but new species are still being discovered by, among others, Christopher J Raxworthy and I are indebted to his expertise offered at http://www.pbs.org/edens/madagascar/creature3.htm. He corrects the notion that their dramatic ability to change color is a camouflage response: rather it is to signal mood or a response to temperature and light. Nonetheless it is not easy to spot this chameleon nestling in the Madagascan greenery.
I was alerted to it by my keener-eyed guide-those of western visitors miss a lot. He also set up the situation prompting this chameleon to unleash its insect-snatching tongue.
While this specimen is eyeing me with its right eye its left eye will looking at something else as they can swivel independently, providing an all-round perspective.
Its pincer-like grasping feet equip it to cling to the branches it hunts in. Such fascinating creatures are favored as pets and that together with habitat-loss threatens their survival. Unless these issues are more comprehensively addressed some species may become extinct even before becoming known to science.
Mark berthold copyright2007
