Furcifer pardalis

Panther Chameleons

of Madagascar

Chameleons are not just unusual and interesting creatures, they also have an awesome name. The word “furcifer” comes from the Latin meaning for fork (which references their unique feet) while Pardalis is derived from root words in Latin that mean Leopard.

The name “Chameleon” comes from the Greek word Khamaileon meaning ground lion. However, this animal is not part of the cat family and instead belongs to a group called lizards or reptiles that are found all over Africa!

Geographic Range and Habitat

The Panther Chameleon can be found in a few isolated areas of Madagascar. They live primarily on the North-Eastern and Western Coasts, preferring tropical lowland tree lands along rivers and roads. This solitary lifestyle with only brief encounters with the opposite sex is common among these reptiles who spend most of their time hiding out alone to avoid confrontation from other chameleons or predators such as birds that might enjoy eating them for dinner!

Diet

Panther Chameleons have a rather diverse diet, with a mix of insects, little animals, birds and reptiles. They are opportunistic eaters because they wait patiently for prey to come into the range of their 360 vision or unique shooting tongue. This lethal combination is deadly for any small animal in its area!

Chameleon Tongue

The remarkable Furcifer pardalis has one of the most amazing tongues in nature. Their highly specialized cartilage, called the Hyoid Bone allows them to shoot their tongue with speed upwards of 100 kilometers per hour less than a hundredth of second! How fast is that?

Incubation Development and Hatch

The chameleon is a fascinating animal, but not one that typically lives in captivity. One of the many reasons for this has to do with their reproductive season which lasts from January through late May and an incubation period lasting 240 days! Chameleons hatch fully independent and active within 48 hours after hatching so they have all the energy they need at first – just make sure you’re providing them plenty of small fruit flies or beetles on hand when it’s time.

Conservation Status

The panther chameleon’s habitat is being lost at an alarming rate. Conservationists are working to end this trend by working with governments around the world and educating individuals about how they can help as well.