Animal Report

 My Animal is … a chameleon

Hunter or hunted, Predator or Prey:

Chameleons hunt for bugs and birds. Chameleons shoot their tongues out like a gun to catch their prey. Predators of chameleons are snakes, birds and mammals such as rats and cats and even dogs. These smart cookies hide from predators by blending in with their environment. This way predators can’t really see them. They eat insects and hide from mammals, so I think maybe it’s both?

Food, What it eats, How it gets it:

(I pretty much summed it up from the first paragraph.)

Habitat (Where does it live):

These creatures can be found in rainforests, savannas, deserts of Africa or even mountains. Some chameleons like to chill in a pile of leaves or a small patch of grass. Chameleons hang out in hot places because they like warm habitats to keep all warm inside and out.

What Does it Look Like?

Size & Shape: They have a long tongue that is very sticky, curved tail and body.4 inches when they hatch, and that’s the size of a credit card. Chameleons also have a big horn on their head. They can grow up to 24 inches in length. Colour: usually green because they hang out in tree’s a lot and for the chameleons in the deserts, they are usually brown. It depends on what environment they are in. Type of Skin: Scaly but at the same time like a leather bag. Chameleons shed every once and a while so you don’t need to worry.

Special Features that help it survive:

Their eyes are like security cameras but at night their eyesight is poorer than ours. Chameleons change color depending on their mood and also to survive in the wild. They sort of disguise themselves to blend in so no one will notice.

How it Protects Itself:

(Pretty much again explained it.)

Interaction with Humans:

They don’t really like to have interaction with humans, they rather be seen from a distance. Because they are anti-social, so If you get a chameleon don’t think you can pet it 24/7.

Raising its Young

It starts off as an egg and then comes out as a hatchling, without an egg. Which in my opinion is interesting. Most animals are one or the other, but chameleons are in the middle! The mother incubates the eggs(keeps them warm.)Some chameleons lay eggs that need to be kept warm for 24 months (that's 2 years! According to the San Diego Zoo.) Chameleons live between 3-10 years.

Anything Else That’s Interesting

Chameleon feet work just like salad tongs, Half of the species of chameleons live in Madagascar. There are more than 150 species of these creatures. The scientific name for them is Chamaeleonidae, can you pronounce that?