Keeping an eye out for our Knysna Dwarf Chameleons
Local Knysna Photographer, Paul Bruins’ daily forest walks usually include a two-kilometre section along a muddy public dirt road.
Recently Paul came across an unusual sight and he felt it was necessary to educate and warn locals and visitors about the Knysna Dwarf Chameleon plight.
“There isn’t much traffic along this road, in fact, one vehicle per hour would be a generous estimate. However, I found eight squashed chameleons along this short stretch of road in less than a month,” explains Paul as he comes to terms with his find.
“I haven’t found a single live chameleon attempting the crossing? The last two corpses were less than three metres apart and in the tracks of the same vehicle.
“What is happening here? Why haven’t I noticed any squashed chameleons on any of my walks in the many months before this? I have so many questions and no-one seems to be able to answer any of them.
“What I do know is that the Knysna Dwarf Chameleon (Bradypodion damaranum) is only found in a very limited range in the Afromontane forests near Knysna, South Africa.
“They are the largest of all dwarf chameleons (once they reach full adulthood), and might easily grow to twenty centimetres from nose to tail. The tongue of a Knysna dwarf chameleon is at least twice as long as its body.
“They are almost impossible to see from inside a moving car when they’re crossing the road in front of you. And any of the millions of green leaves that are littering these forestry roads might be sheltering a dwarf chameleon.
“My overriding (unanswerable) question to myself this past month has been – how many Knysna Dwarf Chameleons have I inadvertently squashed in my two years of driving along these roads? I shudder to think. I will admit that my driving habits have now changed completely.
“I am no longer looking out into the depths of the forest for that last remaining elephant. Because the small stuff also matters… Right?”
View more photos by Paul Bruin Photographer.
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