Unique breeding success: rare green chameleons hatch at Czech zoo
A small zoo near the Central Bohemian town of Kladno has announced an exceptional breeding success. Eight rare green chameleons, an endemic species from Madagascar, have hatched there. The Zájezd Zoopark is the only one in the world successfully breeding this species.
The green chameleon is a medium sized reptile with a bright to light green colour and delicate markings. It grows to about 25 centimetres in length including its tail and, like other chameleons, is well adapted to life in trees, with grasping feet, a tail it can wrap around branches, and a long tongue that shoots out to catch insects.
The species comes from Madagascar, home to an extraordinary variety of chameleons and many species found nowhere else on Earth. According to Zoopark Zájezd, it is currently the only zoo in the world that has managed to breed this particular species successfully.
Chameleon eggs take several months to develop, and even once the babies begin to hatch, the process requires patience, says the zoo’s head of conservation projects and education, Daniel Koleška.
“They started to hatch on February 25. When chameleons begin to hatch, they first cut through the eggshell and then it can take several hours or even days before they fully emerge. It is quite a slow and delicate process.”
“We keep the eggs in an incubator and wait for the babies to come out on their own. If they cannot manage it for some reason, we sometimes help them, but in this case all of them hatched naturally after several hours or days.”
In the end, all eight eggs produced healthy hatchlings, a perfect success rate that keepers say is not always guaranteed with such sensitive reptiles. The tiny chameleons are already feeding on small flies and newly hatched crickets.
Although they measure only about two to three centimetres, they must be kept separately, Mr. Koleška explains.
“We place the terrariums next to each other but make sure the chameleons cannot see one another, because they are very territorial animals and can behave aggressively toward each other.”
According to Mr. Koleška, the success is the result of long term cooperation with other institutions across Europe but also in Madagascar:
“We also work closely with private keepers who sometimes have more time, resources and finances to devote to chameleons than a typical zoo. Thanks to our very experienced staff, especially our director Jiří Marek and his son, who is our curator, we have decades of experience with chameleons and are able to provide the specific conditions needed to breed such a complex species.”
While Madagascar remains the world’s centre of chameleon diversity, many species there face growing pressure as forests are cleared and natural habitats shrink.
The green chameleon is not currently considered endangered and its population in the wild appears relatively stable. However, Koleška warns that the situation could change.
“Experts warn that habitat loss or natural disasters such as fires or hurricanes could quickly threaten local populations. Future genetic studies could also reveal that what is currently classified as one species may in fact consist of several smaller and more vulnerable species.”
Meanwhile, the story at Zoopark Zájezd may not be over yet. Around fifteen more eggs of the green chameleon, along with eggs of several other chameleon species, are still incubating at the zoo and could hatch in the coming weeks or months.
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