Liberty Science Center

 

Jackson's Chameleon

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Common Name: Jackson's Chameleon

Scientific Name: Chamaeleo jacksoni

Range: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Habitat: Temperate mountain forests.

Size: 9 to 21 inches.

Diet: Insects, including beetles, flies, wasps and grasshoppers.

Interesting Facts:

Jackson’s Chameleons have the ability to change the color of their skin, either to blend in with their surroundings or to communicate with other members of their species. Excitement, breeding, temperature, lighting conditions, another male in the vicinity and other factors can all stimulate changes in color.

When chameleons turn dark brown or black, it usually means they're under stress. Lighter colors indicate a better mood.

Their tail is "prehensile," meaning it's muscular and able to grasp, like a hand, and can be used like a fifth limb when climbing. Males have three horns, each more than an inch long, made of horny skin with bone at the base. The females lack horns, making it easy to tell the sexes apart.