South Africa Chameleon Feeding Research Trip

[Jackson chameleonair]

I liked the "Emerald" Dwarf Chameleon i think he looked so cool

 

[Chris Anderson]

Stunning. You've so well captured their intense glory. What are they eating? Do those avataresque "nodes" reflect UV for additional, invisible to us, communication? Beautiful work.

I'm feeding them crickets for the study but my collaborator has been working on gut content analyses for the various Bradypodion species. It should be interesting stuff once published.

Not sure about the UV reflectance of the different tubercle scales and whether they are used particularly for any type of additional communication. Definitely a possibility.

Glad you all are enjoying the photos!

Chris

 

[Chris Anderson]

Managed to take a few more photos over the last couple days so I thought I'd update the thread.

KwaZulu Dwarf Chameleons (Bradypodion melanocephalum) from Durban, KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa:

More of the "Emerald" Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion sp.) from Kamberg Nature Reserve in the foothills of Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa:

Enjoy!

Chris

 

[okiroo]

amazing ^^ i bet the landscape is breath takeing. must be hard to not run around snapping pics of everything

 

[Deb]

Very beautiful pictures. I lived in Durban for a large part of my life, but I only rarely saw a flapneck, never saw a dwarf. But then again, I wasn't really looking.

Speaking to people around here (Swaziland) and from as far afield as Waterval-Boven (200kms away in South Africa), everyone is saying that the numbers of chameleons this year are far higher than they can remember from any recent years. You could ask Dr Tolley if this is also true for the chameleons in the Cape? It may be a useful observation.

Take care if you are currently in the KZN area, there is a hurricane warning out, with the weather service predicting the worst flooding since Cyclone Domoina in 1984.

 

[Chris Anderson]

Very beautiful pictures. I lived in Durban for a large part of my life, but I only rarely saw a flapneck, never saw a dwarf. But then again, I wasn't really looking.

Speaking to people around here (Swaziland) and from as far afield as Waterval-Boven (200kms away in South Africa), everyone is saying that the numbers of chameleons this year are far higher than they can remember from any recent years. You could ask Dr Tolley if this is also true for the chameleons in the Cape? It may be a useful observation.

Take care if you are currently in the KZN area, there is a hurricane warning out, with the weather service predicting the worst flooding since Cyclone Domoina in 1984.

Thanks for the heads up on the hurricane warning, hadn't realized it. I'm actually headed to KZN tomorrow to release animals too so that should be fun...

Chris

Chris

 

[jastate09]

Awesome work you are doing. Great photos too. Thank you for sharing them.

 

[Chris Anderson]

Few more photos from today.

More of the Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleons (Bradypodion thamnobates) from Howick, KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa:

Enjoy,

Chris

 

[showjet95]

Amazing pictures as usual Chris! Cant wait to see the pics you get of pumilum.

 

[Sticktongue]

Great pictures!! That Emberald might be my new favorite chameleon to look at. Absolutely amazing!!!!

 

[Chris Anderson]

Well, I managed to miss the cyclone in KwaZulu Natal and return all the KZN specimens back to their original collection site without a problem. While doing so, I made sure to grab a couple photos of each of their habitats.

Glassland habitat inhabited by Bradypodion melanocephalum (KwaZulu Darf Chameleon) around Durban, KwaZulu Natal Province:

Most of the natural forest habitats for Bradypodion thamnobates (Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon) has been destroyed but they are still found in dense gardens and in other urban thick canopy vegetation habitat like this around Howick, KwaZulu Natal Province:

The "Emerald" Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion sp.) lives in shrubby bushes and trees, particularly in what is called Ouhouk (Leucosidae sericea) in alpine veld habitat like this in Kamberg Nature Reserve, KwaZulu Natal Province:

I'm now back in Cape Town to film a couple species from the Western Cape Province. More on them later.

Enjoy,

Chris

 

[Hoj]

WOW!!! Chris this is amazing stuff!!!! thx so much for sharing

 

[jannb]

Thanks for the updates and photos Chris. Glad to hear that you are safe and missed the cyclone. I hope we'll manage to see just a few of the chameleons that you are seeing when we go.

 

[clarkrw3]

Great shots Chris!! Thanks so much for all the great shots and info, we are all living vicariously through you. I also wanted to thank you for letting the community get involved with you project, it really makes us feel like we are a part of what you are doing.

 

[Canny Chams]

nice shots. keep us updated

 

[Chris Anderson]

As I mentioned before, I'm now working on filming a couple species from Western Cape Province. Here are a few pics of the first species.

Bradypodion occidentale (Western Dwarf Chameleon), Tygerberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Enjoy,

Chris

 

[okiroo]

very cool! love the habitat pics ^^!

 

[showjet95]

The occidentale have such oddly shaped bodies and such a stumpy tail, are they found relatively low to the ground?. I do like how large their gular lobes can get tho

 

[Monzon]

which biome does it favor?

 

[Captive Creations]

wow I am in love Those pictures were awesome! I am still at a loss for words. I want to go to south Africa and Madagascar for my next vacations. I want to see them in their natural habitat. Thanks for sharing the photos chris they are great!