Lifespan
5-7 years
Quick facts
Diet
Worms & insects like crickets
Habitat
Lowland scrub & forest
Range
Endemic to Madagascar
The panther chameleons
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Those eyes
Panther chameleons are considered opportunistic hunters because they wait for prey to pass within range of their long tongues. Chameleons do not have ears but to make up for this, they have eyes that can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects at the same time. This gives them a full 360-degree field of vision while staying completely still and camouflaged. In this way, chameleons can look out for predators as well as prey simultaneously. When prey comes within sight, they will train both eyes in the same direction – this gives them sharp stereoscopic vision and depth of perception, in preparation for the final strike.
Within firing range
Active during the day, it moves slowly through the branches to hunt its insect food by stealth. When it spots its next meal, the chameleon focuses on its victim with both eyes, then shoots out its long tongue to grasp the insect and pull it back into its large mouth. The tongue is very long and is fired from the mouth at great speed. This means that the chameleon can seize unsuspecting prey from some distance away. The muscular tongue and its mucus envelop the prey, pulling it to the mouth.
Splayed feet
This arboreal species has feet that are so well adapted for grasping branches that it is difficult for it to walk across a flat surface. Its toes are clawed and arranged into groups of two and three on opposite sides of the foot. It rarely, if ever, needs to come to the ground and when it does, it walks with feet splayed. Life up in the trees is also made easier by the animal’s prehensile tail, which acts as a fifth limb, wrapping around branches to help with climbing.
Colours switched by crystals
When a chameleon comes face-to-face with a rival, it rapidly inflates its body and changes colour in a show of dominance that is usually enough to decide a dispute. The colourful display may also be a way to impress potential mates. Just below a chameleon’s skin is a layer of yellow pigments and very tiny crystals (nanocrystals). Chameleons are able to expand or contract the crystals, which interact with the yellow pigments to produce striking changes in skin colours.
Special experiences
Chameleon Feeding Demonstration
RepTopiaChameleons have a specialised tongue adapted to capturing their fast-flying prey. Special elastic tissue in their tongue may be the secret to their success. The tongue is kept folded up like an accordion when not in use. A chameleon that is ready to strike contracts the muscles in its tongue as a person may pull back on the string of a bow. This elastic recoil launches the tongue forward forcefully to snare prey. When fully extended, a chameleon's tongue can be twice its body length.
The keepers hold interaction sessions every day at 11am and 2.30pm.
These feature any combination of feeding, conditioning or animal contact sessions. The chameleon feeding demo is one of such sessions.
The keepers decide each day which animals will be featured. Do check out the on-site schedule on the day of your visit!
Baby Boom
RepTopia hatcheryCome visit our little panther chameleon hatchlings here! To date, we’ve welcomed more than forty newborns, each no larger than the head of a pen. Caring for such small animals poses big challenges for RepTopia’s keepers. As the hatchlings are extremely sensitive to temperature and environmental changes, keepers take extra care in monitoring, feeding and misting them. This is to ensure they each get enough nutrients, hydration and heat to grow and thrive.
