A little Dwarf Chameleon!
We came down to check on the condition of the lake and something totally unexpected happened. As we walked along on our normal trail, I had my eyes all over as usual, as it is a normal habit to scrutinize both the big views and the close-up sights.
I look at both the sky and the land and often I find rare things that one does not see every day. Today was such a day.
Keep your eyes on the clump of reeds at the right next to the footpath.
See what I mean? There it was with the blue sky as a backdrop.
It was not a normal chameleon, as this adult is a Dwarf Chameleon. Dwarf means very small.
The Cape dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion pumilum) is a chameleon native to the South African province of the Western Cape, where it is restricted to the region around Cape Town.
As with most chameleons, its tongue is twice the length of its body and it can be shot out of its mouth using a special muscle in the jaw. This gives the chameleon the ability to catch insects some distance away.
You can see that it looked down at me, and it curled the end of its tail around the reed stem, ready to move.
But not to be, as I gently took it down for you to see its size.
Yes, they try to bite, but have very small teeth and so it's only a light pinch.
Desperately it turned on my hand, longing for its home in the reeds.
So, I gently put it back while it was watching me to say thank you :)
An expert on camouflage and you can see in the picture below how it blends in with the reeds.
Didn't see it? Look again carefully at the center of the picture.
And that was it! I am glad that I could show it to you, and we were delighted to find one, as they are marked as "Near Threatened" animals, due to poaching, and for other reasons.
The dwarf chameleons give live birth and the babies are only 2cm long. Tiny little things that have to stay hidden to prevent predators from taking them. Once they are grown, they also become masters of camouflage and a trick that the chameleons have, is to sway side to side in tandem with the leaves that surround them, which makes it even more difficult to see them.
Just another day in the life of a dwarf chameleon.
I hope you enjoyed the story and the pictures.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
Thank you kindly for supporting this post.
There is a lot to see and a lot to learn by visiting such scenic spots.
Oh yes, it is always great to go out there!
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wow it is so tiny! I think that you felt amazing to come across such a little tiny creature!
Yep, and it's an adult. Mind blowing to find such a little beauty in nature, especially as they have become rare.
Thank you and glad that you liked it.
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Exciting sighting, chameleon is such a unique little guy we seldom see the ones here as often as we once did.
Oh when they walk! Is it amble not sure the hesitant footing on flat ground or on a reed always fascinating to me.
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Yep! They have become rare sightings and that's why we were so happy to see the little guy.
They have that indecisive hesitancy before the next step, rocking back and forth, and in the reeds, they can disappear in a flash !LOLZ
Thank goodness they able to camouflage themselves so well!
We are just thankful that there are no house cats around. Their main enemy.
Cats being abandoned or even well fed house cats can become a problem with wildlife.
No feral cats there, as close to the cheetah rehab center, and yes well fed cats can always be a problem.
Safe are for small to live out life, possibly more in the region.
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What a cute baby. Great photos!
Thank you, and glad that you liked it.
What a great experience for you. Thanks for sharing this little creature with us, just adorable.
Thank you kindly and yes, we were so excited to see the little one, especially as they are now on the Near endangered list.
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Oh my! He is so cute :D
Thank you, and we were delighted with the rare find.
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Cute 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 🦎
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That’s a tiny little guy. I never knew these are near threatened, that’s something I have learnt today. I almost couldn’t see the little guy until you pointed it out. Haha. ✨👏
Yes, they are very small and it's rare to see them, so we were overjoyed to find that little one. Just a pity that their numbers are dwindling, mainly due to the destruction of their habitat, and of course predators.
Thank you for your appreciation.
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