Veiled Chameleon
Check out Australia Zoo’s Veiled Chameleons!
Introducing Australia Zoo’s camouflage experts! Can you spot them? Be sure to visit our Reptile House and see our veiled chameleons for yourself.
These arboreal beauties are found in Yemen and southern parts of Saudi Arabia. They prefer to live in well hydrated conditions and these shy reptiles are usually spotted navigating the trees in a rocking motion, to mimic a leaf blowing in the wind! This allows them to go unnoticed by predators and prey alike.
From birth, veiled chameleons are a changing light green colouration. As they mature, their colour can change from yellow, orange, gold, black and blue. Crikey! This makes them highly adaptable to their mood and environment.
Chameleons are insectivores! Using their long, sticky tongue they will feed primarily on insects. During droughts, they have also been known to eat leaves to aid their hydration.
Wild veiled chameleons are threatened by habitat destruction and illegal, unsustainable poaching for the pet trade. Their status in the wild is not listed due to their high numbers in the pet trade.