Reptile
Flap-necked Chameleon
Chamaeleo dilepisAlso known as Flapneck Chameleon
Flap-necked chameleons navigate the shrubs and low trees of sub-Saharan savannas with methodical, rocking steps designed to mimic wind-blown foliage. When agitated or performing territorial displays, individuals puff up their bodies, hiss loudly, and flare the mobile, skin-covered occipital flaps situated behind the head. Females lay large clutches of 20 to 50 eggs in underground burrows, which take the better part of a year to incubate.
ArborealCamouflageInsectivorous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyGrasshoppers, Beetles, Crickets
Predators
- Boomslang
- Southern African Python
- Fiscal Shrike
ThreatsHabitat clearance, vehicle strikes during road crossings, and localized collection for the pet trade
HabitatsSavannas, woodlands, grasslands, coastal thickets, and rural gardens
Life span5–8 years
Classification
- FamilyChamaeleonidae
- GenusChamaeleo
- SpeciesChamaeleo dilepis
Native
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation Distance: Maintain a couple of paces of space to avoid causing the chameleon to freeze or hiss.
- Roadside Encounters: Check rural roads carefully on warm mornings where individuals often cross open ground.
- Handling Etiquette: Do not grasp or restrain wild individuals, which causes extreme distress.
Same Genus Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Genus (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator no rights reserved · cc0
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Emerald Kingdom
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