10 Amazing Animal Facts (Chameleon)

The chameleon is a very distinctive and well-known species of lizard, due to the large eyes and curled tail of the chameleon. Chameleons are found throughout jungle and desert alike, in Africa, Asia and parts of Southern Europe and chameleons have also been introduced to parts of North America.

Fast Facts about Chameleon

1. Chameleons vary in size. Smallest chameleon is Brookesia micra, which reaches 0.6 inches in length. Biggest chameleon is Furcifer oustaleti, which reaches 30 inches in length. (Chameleon are the smallest reptiles on earth)

2. You must’ve heard that a chameleon can change its color to match its surroundings, but this isn’t really true. Some chameleons change colours to hide themselves; others change colours based on how they’re feeling.

Also Read: 10 Amazing Animal Facts (Frog)

3. They are primarily solitary and males are very territorial. Males and females tolerate each other only during breeding.

4. Other tree dwelling animals such as snakes and birds are the most common predators of the chameleon, along with some mammals.

5. Chameleons have amazing eyes. The bulging upper and lower eyelids are joined and the pupil peaks out from a pinhole sized gap.

6. The chameleons’ eyes can rotate and focus separately on 180-degree arcs, so they can see two different objects at the same time. This gives them a full 360-degree field of vision.

7. Chameleons usually eat large insects such as locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, and stick insects, some bigger species also eat other lizards and young birds.

Also Read:Amazing Animal Facts (Jellyfish)

8. The chameleon’s tongue can reach its prey in just 0.07 split seconds, with the projectile acceleration reaching over 41 g’s of force. The Chameleon’s tongue is twice the length of its body.

9. Most chameleons lay eggs in a hole in the ground. Some incubate the eggs in their bodies and have live babies.

10. Chameleon can survive more than 10 years in the captivity.