African Chameleon

African Chameleons are generally very difficult to spot being masters of camouflage. However the individual we photographed was clearly visible, being bright yellow and green against a dusty pink road surface.

Even when it went into its distinctive jerky walk, designed to mimic the movement of a branch or twig in the breeze, it still looked like a lizard crossing the road..... But very slowly.

This particular chameleon is a "Smooth Chameleon", Chamaeleo laevigatus, which gets its name from the lack of horns, ear flaps and nose lumps which are features of many other chameleons.

They grow to an average size of 15-22 cm and have a maximum size of about 25 cm. Grasshoppers form a significant part of their diet.They are mostly arboreal but are quite happy to descend to ground level to cross roads and treeless patches of ground in order to reach a suitable area.