Animals World's first breeding of a desert chameleon in a zoo

For the first time in the world, a desert chameleon has been successfully bred in a zoo in Vienna. As the Haus des Meeres in Vienna reported on Tuesday, the chameleon, which originates from Namibia and South Africa, is considered to be particularly demanding to breed and keep.

While the young animals and mothers are still being looked after behind the scenes, one of the fathers can already be seen in the new Namibia facility.

The hatching of the first young animals is the result of years of research, perfect climatic conditions and intensive care by the team of experts at Haus des Meeres. "We are incredibly proud of this success," explained Robert Riener, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians. "This offspring is a milestone in the history of our zoo and an important step in the conservation of this fascinating species." The successful reproduction shows that even challenging species can thrive in human care if their special needs are taken into account.

Special hunting strategy

Chamaeleo namaquensis, the desert chameleon, is a unique representative of its genus, native to the barren desert landscapes of Namibia and South Africa. In the cool morning hours it is still almost completely black in order to quickly reach "operating temperature", but as temperatures rise it turns an almost blinding white color to avoid overheating.

The reptile has an unusual hunting strategy: instead of lying in wait for prey like other chameleons, it captures its usually very agile food by actively running after it in its treeless habitat. It feeds mainly on insects such as ground beetles, but also on other reptiles and occasionally on conspecifics. It covers its fluid requirements with food and a technique that is widespread in the Namib Desert: it collects moisture from the nocturnal mist that settles on its body and transports it to its mouth via capillary tubules.