Panther chameleon

팬서카멜레온

A flashy chameleon from Madagascar. It changes colour not only to hide but also to show mood and signal to rivals and mates. Its eyes swivel independently, and a tongue about as long as its body shoots out to snatch insects.

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At a glance

Class: Reptiles
Diet: Insect eater
Length: about 0.45 m
Lifespan: up to about 7 years
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN LC)
Habitat: rainforests, forests

Quick answers

Where does the Panther chameleon live?

It lives in rainforests, forests.

How big is the Panther chameleon?

It grows to about 0.45 m.

What does the Panther chameleon eat?

Its diet: insect eater.

How long does the Panther chameleon live?

It can live up to about 7 years.

Is the Panther chameleon endangered?

It is listed as Least Concern (IUCN LC).

The panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) is a colourful lizard from the eastern and northern forests of Madagascar. Adults are about 40 to 51 centimetres long, and males are bigger and brighter than females. Like all chameleons, it has swivelling eyes and a long tongue it shoots out to catch insects.

Its colours depend on where it lives. Males from some places are bright blue, while others are red, green or orange. Females stay tan or brown with hints of pink or orange, wherever they live. Madagascar's tropical forests are its home. This chameleon has also been brought to Réunion, Mauritius and Florida.

A different colour in each place

Panther chameleons from the Nosy Be, Ankify and Ambanja areas are usually vibrant blue. Those from Ambilobe, Antsiranana and Sambava are red, green or orange, and the Maroantsetra and Tamatave areas give mostly red ones. These local colour forms are called 'locales'. Scientists think the group may one day be split into several species. They change colour to send messages to rivals and mates as well as to blend in.

Feet made for branches

On each foot the five toes are joined into a group of two and a group of three, like a pair of tongs. This gives a tight grip on thin branches, and each toe has a sharp claw for climbing bark. The name Furcifer means 'forked' and refers to these feet. The name pardalis means spotted like a leopard or panther.

Fun facts

Males from different parts of Madagascar have different colours, from blue and green to red.
Its feet have two groups of fused toes that work like tongs.
The word chameleon comes from Greek words meaning 'ground lion'.
Males are more vividly coloured than females, and males are also bigger.