Cape dwarf chameleon

The Cape dwarf chameleon, scientifically known as Bradypodion pumilum, is native to the southwest of the Western Cape, only found in Cape Town, the Boland and the mountainous coastline as far as Agulhas.

These tiny reptiles may exceed 15 cm in length (including the prehensile tail), the sexes of similar size and at birth only 2 cm.

In nature the Cape dwarf chameleon inhabits vegetation types like fynbos, renosterveld, indigenous forest and wetlands. In urban conditions they are adapted to some suburban gardens, living among planted, also non-indigenous vegetation where they reduce insect numbers.

Suitable gardens are sunny with lots of bushy and varied vegetation. The sun heats up the so-called cold-blooded reptiles, their blood temperature actually adapting to the ambient temperature of the environment, unlike “warm-blooded” species that retain the same temperature throughout or nearly so.

Habitat fragmentation and loss caused by urbanization and agriculture threaten the species. Several square kilometres of undeveloped land are transformed annually in and around Cape Town, while frequent fires in the region are also detrimental to the popoulation numbers of chameleon and many other species (Wikipedia).