Reptile Experts Breed Success
Source: BorderMail.com
The rare
veiled chameleon has bred successfully for the first time in an Australian zoo. Reptile specialists at
Sydney’s Taronga Zoo have bred four chameleons in captivity, and say the youngsters have a greater chance of survival than they would have had in the wild. “
They’ve got no predators, they’ve got a guaranteed basic diet, plus they’ve got veterinary treatment as well,” reptile and amphibian keeper
Mark Grant said.
The four chameleons, which were born three to four weeks ago, are now about 5cm long and are fed on day-old crickets. They will be put on display after they grow in length and put on a bit more weight. When fully grown they will be about 25cm long.
Chameleons are born bright green and change colour for camouflage or according to their mood.They also have the unique ability to move their eyes independently and look in two directions at once.
Veiled chameleons, named after the helmet-like ridge or casque on the top of their heads, are one of about 80 species of
Old World chameleons, or true chameleons, and are only found near
Yemen and other parts of the
Arabian Peninsula.
Linear Mode
