Chameleon Statistics

[AJA]

I would like to know the following if at all possible.


Who (what person) has the largest collection captive chameleons in the US?
... in the World?

What institution has the largest collection in captivity?
...US
...World

Who (individual) has the most varied collection of chameleons ?

...US
....World

Who do you look up too as someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to chameleons?

What species of chameleon are endangered as in CITIES I ?

What species of chameleon are not allowed to be imported into the US?

What is the most endangered chameleon in the world?


THANKS

 

[Chris Anderson]

Who (what person) has the largest collection captive chameleons in the US?
... in the World?

Probably someone who does not want to publicize this fact.

What institution has the largest collection in captivity?
...US
...World

You can look at the species holdings of different institutions (by species, not institution) here: www.isis.org (Animals -> Find Animals). To be honest, a University who has a researcher working on live chameleons probably has the largest chameleon collection of an institution. I only know of a couple others besides the lab I'm in, however.

Who (individual) has the most varied collection of chameleons ?

...US
....World

See answer to question 1.

Who do you look up too as someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to chameleons?

Petr Necas, Chris Raxworthy, Joe Beraducci, Olaf Pronk and the list goes on.

What species of chameleon are endangered as in CITIES I ?

The only species listed on CITES Appendix I is Brookesia perarmata. According to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, Bradypodion setaroi and Calumma tigris are listed as endangered and Bradypodion taeniabronchum is listed as critically endangered.

What species of chameleon are not allowed to be imported into the US?

None are not allowed to be imported to the US as long as they have legal documents. There are many species that are regulated for export as WC from various countries.

What is the most endangered chameleon in the world?

There are a number of species that are only known from a handful of specimens.

Chris

 

[Chuck G]

Chris,I think you can throw your name on the list of chameleon experts.
I know we are all learning,but you go above and beyond as far as knowledge on a multitude of species.

 

[beeze]

Great answers Chis!

 

[Julirs]

i would like to know the following if at all possible.



Who do you look up too as someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to chameleons?

Chris Anderson

 

[Chris Anderson]

Chuck & Julie,

I'm flattered, thank you. Chameleons have an incredible knack for making you feel like you know nothing about them, just as soon as you think you figured one thing out. I guess that's part of their charm.

Chris

 

[AJA]

Chris, thanks for taking the time to answer my post. I hope the initial questions of who has what wasn't too insulting, I didn't mean it for it to come out that way, but I was thinking it would be kind of cool for people to know that they could go to so-so and see a collection of rare chameleons and not have to go to Madagascar. I am sure the breeders have gobs and perhaps it is an invasion of privacy for them to know they take care of 500 animals, which I would see as pretty cool, just because of the logistics it would take.

Anyway, another question since you mentioned Universities. What research is being done on Chameleons? I know as of late there has been a lot of publicity over the gecko and its toes. New designs in organic adhesives could be on the way.

 

[Chris Anderson]

No, it wasn't insulting at all. I just think that people who have that large of a collection and that much invested in them probably don't want it public that they have the largest private collection in the country/world/wherever from an attention and security stand point.

There is probably more chameleon related research going on then I'm aware of but as far as active research goes, I know there is work being done on chameleon systematics and evolutionary relationships, population ecology, various morphology, nutrition, etc. I work on the functional morphology and physiological ecology of chameleon feeding.

Chris