Island Of Madagascar
Off The East Coast Of Africa
Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve

Photographed at the Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve. Male Perinet Chameleon.

The Perinet chameleon (Calumma gastrotaenia), also known as the Malagasy side-striped chameleon, is a small species of chameleon endemic to humid primary forests, particularly along rivers, in eastern and central Madagascar at elevations between 600 and 1,530 m. It is listed on CITES Appendix II, and as such, trade in the Perinet chameleon is regulated. Exporting the species from Madagascar has been banned since 1995.

Perinet chameleons are small and slender, reaching 15–20 cm, with elongated heads and bodies. They have smooth, uniformly green, brown or yellow skin with white undersides. A thin stripe runs from their tail bases along the sides of their bodies and across their eyes, and may include white spots. The three subspecies are C. g. andringitraensis with a dorsal crest, C. g. marojezensis. and C. g. guillaumeti. The male Perinet chameleon is larger than the female and has a bony head crest.

Tags:   Madagascar 2017 Island Of Madagascar Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve Perinet Chameleon Calumma gastrotaenia Animal Reptile Side-Striped Chameleon Small Species 15 to 20 cm Endemic Humid Primary Forests Eastern and Central Madagascar Slender Male Larger Than Female Bony Head Crest Sue Roehl Photographic Tours Natural Exposures Panasonic Lumix DMC GH4 35 x 100 mm Lens Hand held Cropped coth5 NGC

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Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve

Photographed at Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve. The reserve had frogs, chameleons, and geckos. Some of these were so small or so well camouflaged, it would be hard to see them with the inexperienced eye out in the wild, but they are all endemic to Madagascar.

I'm not sure of the identification of either animal. I believe the one on top is a jeweled chameleon, but it is shedding its skin and hard to identify. The one on the bottom is a day gecko. There is more than one type of day gecko, so I am only giving it's common name.

Wikipedia -
Furcifer campani, commonly known as the jeweled chameleon or the Madagascar forest chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. Furcifer campani is endemic to the central highlands of Madagascar, where it is threatened by bush fires and habitat loss. Furcifer campani grows to a length of about 14 centimetres (5.5 in). Furcifer campani is endemic to the central mountainous region of Madagascar where it lives at altitudes of 1,850 to 2,300 metres (6,070 to 7,550 ft). Its range extends from Ankaratra, an extinct volcano, to the Andringitra National Park, an area of 14,500 square kilometres (5,600 sq mi), but only part of this is suitable habitat and its population is fragmented. It is a terrestrial species and its habitat is mountain grass and heathland with shrubs and isolated trees.

Wikipedia -
Day geckos inhabit the islands of the south-west part of the Indian Ocean. The exceptions are Phelsuma andamanense, which is endemic to the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, and Phelsuma dubia, which is also found on the East Coast of mainland Africa, although it possibly was introduced there. Most Phelsumas species are found in Mauritius and Madagascar. Some species are found on neighbouring island groups, including the Mascarenes, Seychelles, and Comoros. Due to human introduction, they are also often found on some of the Hawaiian Islands, including the Big Island and Kauai, and the state of Florida, where they were introduced as a form of pest control. The different Phelsuma species can be found from sea level up to 2,300 meters. Most day geckos are arboreal. They inhabit, amongst others, coconut palms and banana trees, but can also be found near human settlements, in gardens, on fences, houses, and huts. An exception, Phelsuma barbouri, is a terrestrial species.

Tags:   Madagascar 2017 Island Of Madagascar Off The East Coast Of Africa Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve Jeweled Chameleon Day Gecko Animals Small Furcifer campani Family Chamaeleonidae Endemic Chameleon Endangered Sue Roehl Photographic Tours Natural Exposures Panasonic Lumix DMC GH4 35 x 100 mm Lens Cropped NGC

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Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve

Click On Image To Enlarge,

During the next few days, I will be uploading some images photographed in aviaries located at Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve. Aviaries are usually used to house birds, but at the reserve the aviaries were occupied by frogs, chameleons, and geckos. Some of these were so small or so well camouflaged, it would be hard to see them with the inexperienced eye out in the wild, but they are all endemic to Madagascar. The first one is medium sized gecko called a lined leaf-tailed gecko.

Uroplatus lineatus is a gecko which is found in eastern Madagascar and on the island Nosy Bohara. These geckos live on trees in tropical rain forests and on bamboo plants. They reach a total length of 270 mm or 10.63 in. Threats to this species are posed by deforestation and illegal pet trade.

Uroplatus geckos
Leaf-tailed or Uroplatus geckos are one of Madagascar's most unique species. These moderate- to large-sized geckos rely on cryptic coloration as they sleep with their heads downward, flattened against tree trunks and adjusting their body coloration to their surroundings. Inactive during the day, Uroplatus geckos move only when disturbed. They respond to prodding with an impressive display of a brightly colored gaping mouth and an erect tail. At night they hunt insects.

Tags:   Madagascar 2017 Island Of Madagascar Off The East Coast Of Africa Peyrieras Madagascar Reserve Lined Leaf-tailed Gecko Medium Sized Animal Reptiles Found Eastern Madagascar Uroplatus lineatus Trees Tropical Rain Forests Bamboo Plants 10.63 Inches In Length Deforestation Illegal Pet Trade Unique Species Cryptic Coloration Heads Downward During Sleeping Flattened Against Trunk Inactive During Day Hunt Insects Sue Roehl Photographic Tours Natural Exposures Panasonic Lumix DMC GH4 35 x 100 mm Lens Hand held Slightly Cropped NGC coth5 NPC

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Island Of Madagascar
Off The East Coast Of Africa
Berenty Reserve

Another image of the unknown chameleon I first posted from Madagascar, but this time I found out the name of the chameleon and changed it. The previous image shows the chameleon with a slightly different color pattern.

The first image can be seen in the first comment section.

Wikipedia-
Furcifer verrucosus, also known as the warty chameleon, spiny chameleon or crocodile chameleon, is a species of small reptile endemic to Madagascar. It was first described by Georges Cuvier in 1829.

The warty chameleon is found only on the island of Madagascar including Manderano in the Tulear region. It occurs over much of the west part of the island and in drier parts of the south. It is seldom found in primary rainforest but favours arid disturbed land, including near the sea. It is a terrestrial species and also climbs around in low bushes. In hot weather it sometimes retreats into a sandy burrow to keep cool.

There are two subspecies, Furcifer v. verrucosus and Furcifer v. semicristatus, the latter being found mainly in the southernmost part of the island. This chameleon is closely related to Oustalet's chameleon Furcifer oustaleti (Malagasy giant chameleon), the pair forming a species complex, but each member of the group may be a cryptic species (two species indistinguishable in the field and currently believed to be a single species) and the exact taxonomical relationship between members of the group is unclear.

The warty chameleon feeds largely on insects which it catches with its long sticky tongue. The female lays one clutch of 30 to 60 eggs a year and these are incubated for about 200 days. They hatch into juvenile chameleons which may take six months to a year to become mature.

Tags:   Madagascar 2017 Island Of Madagascar Off The East Coast Of Africa Berenty Reserve Warty a/k/a Spiny Chameleon Furcifer verrucosus Southern Coast Chameleon Animal Reptile Endemic West Part Of Island Arid Disturbed Land Near The Sea Terrestrial Low Bushes Feeds On Insects Lays 30 to 60 Eggs a Year 6 Mo To a Year To Mature Cold Blooded Can Change Colors Prehensile Tail Diurnal Solitary Often Aggresive Bulging Eyes Move Independently Long Tongues Opportunistic Sue Roehl Photographic Tours Natural Exposures Panasonic Lumix DMC GH4 100 - 400 mm Lens Hand held Cropped coth5 NGC

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Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve


Wikipedia-
The Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii) is a large species of chameleon that is endemic to isolated pockets of humid primary forest in eastern and northern Madagascar.

A long-lived species, C. parsonii may not reach sexual maturity until they are 3 - 5 years of age and may live to be more than 20 years old. C. parsonii are native to the primary rainforests of the elevated eastern area of Madagascar, up to an altitude of about 7,000 feet. However, their range extends all the way down to the eastern coast, where trade winds bring moisture ladden air to the land.

Parson's are very stationary animals. Adults may go for long periods without moving except to eat, drink, mate or deficate. They also do not spend much time basking, like many other true chameleons. They will, however, sit in the sun for short periods and slightly flatten one side of their body toward the sun. These sunning sessions are rarely more than 10 - 15 minutes long and usually take place early in the morning as soon as sun is available.

Near threatened according to the IUCN red list. The loss of humid forest, mainly through conversion from slash-and-burn agriculture but also due to logging, is a threat to this species. Much of the habitat of this species is extremely fragmented, and small forest fragments are unlikely to be viable to ensure persistence of this large chameleon that occurs at low densities.

Tags:   Madagascar 2017 Island Of Madagascar Off The East Coast Of Africa Peyrieras Madagascar Exotic Reserve Calumma parsonii Parson's Chameleon Animal Reptile Cold Blooded Large Species Endemic Humid Primary Forest Long-lived. Rainforests Up To 7000 Ft Very Stationary Sit In Sun For Short Periods No Long Term Basking IUCN Near Threatened Loss of Forest Slash and Burn Habitat Extremely Fragmented Sue Roehl Photographic Tours Natural Exposures Panasonic Lumix DMC GH4 35 x 100 mm Lens Handheld NGC coth5 NPC

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