Species Spotlight: Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon
Species spotlight:
Something lives deep within the undergrowth of the Mkingu of the Nature Forest Reserve, something with a sticky tongue, long tail, and spiny thorns. That might sound terrifying, but considering it is probably shorter than your finger, I think you will agree the Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon is an absolute sweetie!
Names & Nicknames: Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon, Nguru Pygmy Chameleon
Size: Reptiles come in all shapes and sizes. Some, like our friend the Leatherback Turtle, weigh almost as much as a small car, and then some, like the Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon, are about as long as two paper clips and weigh just a few grams. The males tend to be a bit longer and more slender, and the ladies a little shorter but thiccer.
Communication: Now, when people think of chameleons, they often think of them changing colour for camouflage. Whilst this can be helpful to blend in, the main reason they actually do it is to do with their mood, controlling their temperature, or for communication. For example, males might turn a lighter colour to warn off other males or to attract a mate during breeding season.
Favourite Hangout: Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleons are found in one place and one place only. The mountainous forests of the Mkingu of the Nature Forest Reserve, Tanzania. They are only found between 1500m and 2000m above sea level, and particularly like the leaf litter on the forest floor, spending most of their days in their hiding, before climbing into the branches at night to hunt.
Favourite Snack: Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleons love little invertebrates like ants, termites, and small beetles.
Eating Habits: Chameleons like the Nguru Spiny Pygmy may move around slowly, but they have a lightning-fast surprise to help catch their prey. Once a tasty morsel gets too close, they will shoot out their long, sticky tongue with incredible speed and precision to ensnare the poor critter, and before it knows what's happening, it is chameleon food!
Love Language: Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon courtship is something that is still a mystery in the wild. But based on captive chameleons and closely related chameleons, there is probably a bit of foreplay involved where the male will chase the female, hoping to get lucky. If the female isn't having any of it, she will change her skin to dark colours to tell him in chameleon terms to ‘get lost’.
If you see them: Well, you must have pretty incredible eyesight! Not only are they incredibly rare, but at around 5.7cm in length, with colour-changing skin, and a love of hiding under leaves, it can be very VERY hard to spot these little guys. So if you do find yourself trekking through the Mkingu of the Nature Forest Reserve, make sure to watch your step!
Red Flags: One of the main threats to Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleons is habitat loss. Despite living in a protected reserve, other suitable habitats have been chopped down, and even in their protected forests, leaf litter is cleared away in some areas to grow shade crops. As if they didn't have enough to worry about, they are also illegally harvested and traded in the pet trade. Whilst they do look adorable, we promise they would much rather be left alone in their forests as opposed to locked away in a tank!
Epic Journeys: Chameleons aren't exactly the speediest of creatures. Pygmy chameleons, such as the Ngury Spiny Pygmy, are even slower than some of their larger cousins. Little legs can only move so fast!
Glow-up: Mama chameleons lay their eggs just below the moss and leaf litter, which then hatch into tiny Nguru Pygmy Chameleons. They are about as long as a 50p coin when born and weigh just a fraction of a gram! They will grow up over the next 8-9 months before they reach sexual maturity, and the cycle is ready to start again.
Facts: Now, admittedly, their name can be a bit of a mouthful.. But it does tell us a lot about this chameleon. Nguru refers to the Nguru mountain range where they can be found, pygmy means they are small, and spiny tells us, well, that they have spines! These spines, such as their special nose-like horn, are actually quite unique and help set them apart from many other pygmy chamaeleons.
Who are they in the friendship group: So small and discreet that sometimes you forget they are there!
Name:
Nguru Spiny Pygmy Chameleon
Habitat:
1500m-2000m above sea level in the forests of Mkingu of the Nature Forest Reserve, Tanzania
Diet:
Small Invertebrates
Size:
5.7cm
Behaviour:
Crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk) and solitary
Lifespan:
Unknown
Threats:
Habitat loss, specifically the clearing of leaf litter, and the illegal pet trade
Conservation status:
Critically Endangered
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