Some nice Bradypodion from Midlands - South Afica

[melanocephalum]

Now after a hectic last few weeks I found myself relaxing on a Ssaturday night at home which isn't all that exciting. So i grabbed my keys and heading out just before dark and drove some 80kms to a spot where I'd always thought the Bradypodion should be.

Now thamnobates are special chameleons for me, probably one of the first COOL chameleon I ever found in the wild at their type locality of Nottingham Road, Natal Midlands. But these animals picture below were found about 50kms away from the typical location.

This male pictured below I found first, it was about 7m up a massive tree there was no way in hell I could get it down. From the ground I could see it was a mature male and had some nice colouration so I HAD to make a plan to get it down. After duct-taping a 2m sapling tree to my 1m snake grab stick and climbing on the worst bendest rusty wire fence I had managed to tickle this sleeping chameleon onto my sapling tree and brought it down. Hopefully pictures made it worth it?

These individuals seem to favour large tree's and were found much higher than I've typically found thamnobates in Nottingham road.

Bradypodion thamnobates - Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon Male.

Bradypodion thamnobates - Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon Male.

Bradypodion thamnobates - Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon Male.

Bradypodion thamnobates - Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon Female.

For size reference:

Thanks for looking!

For more pictures of Bradypodion thamnobates

 

[Pitcard]

These pictures were well worth the trouble. Very interesting little guy, his contrast between the 1st and 3rd pictures is very cool! I like those red accents along his spine and tail. Thanks for sharing!

 

[jannb]

Very nice shots!

Thank you so much for sharing your photos with us.

 

[Duma]

Great pics! Really neat little guys!

 

[melanocephalum]

Great pics! Really neat little guys!

Cheers Duma!

 

[melanocephalum]

Very nice shots!

Thank you so much for sharing your photos with us.

That;s for looking glad you appreciate them.

 

[melanocephalum]

These pictures were well worth the trouble. Very interesting little guy, his contrast between the 1st and 3rd pictures is very cool! I like those red accents along his spine and tail. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, I will add the third image is taken without a flash so he's a little washed out.

Glad you enjoyed them.

 

[Chris Anderson]

Nice looking animals. I love their huge enlarged scales on the tail and dorsal crest.

Chris

 

[melanocephalum]

Nice looking animals. I love their huge enlarged scales on the tail and dorsal crest.

Chris

Thanks Chris, they're super neat animals. I'll go out and photograph some of the typical Nottingham Road ones sometime.

 

[danscantle]

How about some habitat shots?

 

[cass737]

It must be incredible to live within driving distance of such amazing animals in the wild. Thank you for posting!

 

[melanocephalum]

It must be incredible to live within driving distance of such amazing animals in the wild. Thank you for posting!

Truth be told I have two species of Chameleons in my Garden at home, but I'm so used to seeing those species nice to see something different.

Cheers T.