Chameleo dilepis
Few people would not be familiar with chameleons, those lizards with their independently moving eyes, long, sticky tongues and slow, deliberate movements belying their amazing ability to change colour in the blink of an eye (to blend in with their environment or to communicate their mood). We have 22 species of chameleon in South Africa, of which the Common Flap-neck Chameleon is the best known.
Flap-neck Chameleons feed on insects, mainly beetles and grasshoppers. They prefer savanna, thicket, woodland and forest habitats and are mainly arboreal, though thanks to their excellent camouflage amongst foliage they are mostly only noticed when moving across open ground. In South Africa they occur from coastal Kwazulu-Natal and the adjacent interior, into Mpumalanga, Limpopo, northern Gauteng, North West and the Kalahari regions of the Northern Cape. North of our borders they occur all the way to Cameroon in the northwest and Somalia in the northeast.
Three to four months after mating in the spring, female Flap-neck Chameleons lie clutches of 25-50 (exceptionally up to 65) eggs in a foot-long tunnel she digs in moist soil in the late summer months. The eggs can take up to a year to hatch. Newly emerged Flap-neck Chameleons measure about 5cm in length but grow quickly; adults grow to a length of 35cm (half of which is their prehensile tail).
When threatened, Flap-neck Chameleons inflate their bodies and open their mouths wide in a defensive display. They’re also quite likely to bite when handled. The IUCN considers the Flap-neck Chameleon to be of least concern. Unfortunately it is popular in the pet trade and often sold by informal traders along rural roadsides. This practice should never be supported by purchasing the chameleon, despite how sorry you may feel for the poor creature, as it just stimulates the market and triggers more and more people to go catch animals for sale, most of which will die, and leading directly to the local collapse of their populations.
de Wets Wild 
They are so like the green Iguanas we get here. I remember seeing chameleons in SA and marvelling at how well they could camouflage themselves. Great photos, Dries.
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Thank you very much, Sylvia. I can’t ever get enough of watching chameleons; they’re fascinating creatures (as are most other reptiles, including those poor persecuted iguanas of yours)
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I’m afraid the Iguanas are very few and far between these days. 😨 There is on who likes to perch up on our roof. He must know ours is a safe house. 😃
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Your praises will be sung by iguana-kind for years to come for providing them safe passage, Sylvia
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Even though I have spent quite a bit of time in South Africa I have never seen one there. I have spotted a bright green one on the Reunion Island that was crossing a busy road that I blocked until it made it safely to the other side. It’s colours blew my mind! I will definitely keep my eyes open even more next time in SA thanks to your post. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos and interesting test!
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Text I mean. Sorry about that…
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Good on you for helping one cross the road – they are so vulnerable out in the open!
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Sjoe! Ek het sooo lanklaas ‘n trapsuutjie gesien!! Pragtig!
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Hulle raak regtig al skaarser, Aletta, en wat n jammerte is dit nie!
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Dis waar!
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They are quite fascinating little creatures!
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Most definitely, Joanne!
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What a mesmerizing species! It’s the first time I’ve seen them so I really appreciate you sharing these great images 🙂
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Thanks Takami! We’re glad we could introduce you to our Flap-neck Chameleon!
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When last did I see a chameleon in our garden – or anywhere? Your many photographs show they still exist:)
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Sadly they definitely are becoming quite scarce around humans…
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Wow–they really puff up!
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Good way to prevent yourself accidentally slipping down a predator’s throat! 😉
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We don’t have them in Australia and it is illegal to keep them. They look anti-social. 🙂
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I think they may well be quite happy by themselves – I don’t think I’ve ever seen two chameleons together.
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🙂
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They have got to be one of the coolest creatures in the world! What a lovely shade of green.
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We adore them too, Siobhan!
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