Chameleon´s

Have you ever had a chameleon as a pet? Well I had one once and he lived up to the age of 3. These creatures can be found in various continents such as Europe, Asia (through much of India) and in Africa, especially Madagascar. What amazes me about chameleons is their incredible ability to change color. If they are on a leaf, their bodies turn green. If they crawl along the sandy banks of river, their bodies turn into a yellowish/sandy color. In this way chameleons can camouflage, or disguise themselves as they wait for the perfect moment to attack their prey. Their changing color also protects them from their enemies.

Many people don´t understand how chameleons change color. The truth is that the color of these changeable chameleons is not controlled by the color of the object that they are standing on; instead it is affected by the differences of light and temperature and also by the chameleon´s feelings as it moves from place to place. The chameleon´s nervous system is extremely sensitive and it reacts by changing color.

The chameleon´s eyes are cone shapes protruding from their heads covered with thick lids. There is a small hole in the lid that makes it possible for the animal to see. The eyes rotate in all directions independently of the head. Chameleons are incredibly efficient hunters although their bodies move slowly and sometimes even wobble a bit, but their tongues dart in and out with great speed. On the tip of the tongue is a disk covered with a sticky liquid. The flick of the chameleon´s tongue is so fast it can be seen only by slow motion cameras!!!