The panther chameleon is a lizard from the Chamaeleonidae family which lives in the forests and coastal plains of Madagascar.
Profile
Least Concern (LC)
Lifestyle
Contrary to popular belief, when chameleons change colour, it often has little to do with their surroundings. It uses its colours more as a means of visual communication than a camouflaging technique.
The changes in colour are, in fact, mostly connected with the chameleon’s emotional state, and as a result are controlled by hormones: they signal a state of stress or calm and are used in courtship.
Distinctive features
With the panther chameleon, the colour distinguishes the male from the female as well as indicating its geographical origin.
Anecdote
It's impossible for a chameleon to drink from a bowl: it catches the drops of water with its tongue! At the zoo, it is therefore given a drop by drop or by spraying its terrarium so that it can collect the dew deposited on the leaves.
