Here's looking at you!

I found this Setaro's dwarf chameleon tightrope walking along my clothesline. As the name implies they don't get very big - this one was about 60mm from nose to tail - but they are fascinating creatures.

Zulu children are taught to stay away from chameleons and frogs and are told that they harbour evil spirits. There is sound reasoning behind this as it means that these creatures are left in peace rather than hunted or played with by curious small boys! The result of this is that they can get on with doing what they do best which is to eat huge quantities of insects, including mosquitoes, which might otherwise harm both people and livestock.

In more recent times the introduction of domestic cats which have turned feral has proved an enormous danger to dwarf chameleons and the Setaro's, which is endemic to northern KZN and southern Mozambique, is now listed as endangered.

Although not the greatest shot I'm fond of this one as it's the only one I have where both the amazing swivel eyes of a chameleon are pointing straight ahead!