Information on Chamelions

Have you ever seen the movie 'Dr Dolittle' where the chameleon cannot change its colour and he cries "My blender is broken".  If you did not see it have a look at the clip.  It is so funny.

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Obviously chameleons do not have 'blenders', but they can change their colour so that they blend in to their surroundings.  This is a great way to camouflage themselves, not only to protect them from predators, but also to be difficult to spot if they are out hunting insects.

The chameleon is close family to the lizard and other reptiles, which mean one thing they have in common is that they are all 'cold blooded'.

There are about 160 species of chameleon.

• Can you remember what is the meaning of the word 'cold blooded'?
• Do research and choose at least 5 different chameleons and gather some pictures and a few facts on each (what do they look like, where do they live, what do they eat etc)

Almost half of the world's chameleon species are native to Madagascar, they are also found in Africa, and southern Europe to as far as Sri Lanka in Asia and have been introduced to Hawaii, California and Florida. 

Not all chameleons can change colour and it is a myth that if you put it on a pattern with a lot of colours it will change its body to all the colours.  Under the skin there are pigments called the chromatophores and this allows the colour change . 

 .....creating combined patterns of pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown, yellow and purple. 

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Besides from changing the colour to blend in, they will also become darker to show they are angry and in 'attack mode' or they will become lighter if the males are trying to impress the females to mate with them.  If the chameleon live in the dessert, it will be black during the day to absorb the heat and when it is too hot it will go lighter grey to reflect the heat.

Chameleons have amazing eyes that stick out and can turn 180 degrees and even separate from another, which mean they can see different things on each side at once.  They have very good eyesight and can spot small insects meters away.

If the chameleon sees an insect, it will shoot out its tongue, which is twice the length of its body and it will grab it with the 'suction cup' it forms at the end.  This all happens in a split second.

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

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Chameleons do not have any ear openings,the same as snakes, but they are not deaf. The can detect certain sounds.

• Read some more interesting facts on chameleons here.
• Watch the video and listen to the story.  Once you are done, re-tell the story in your own words.

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