Chameleon Moms: Wandering Women | National Geographic

the flat net chameleons of Africa simply

the flat net chameleons of Africa simply prep a burrow for their kids and then

prep a burrow for their kids and then

prep a burrow for their kids and then they leave them to fend for themselves

they leave them to fend for themselves

they leave them to fend for themselves first mom uses her zygodactylous

first mom uses her zygodactylous

first mom uses her zygodactylous that means two toes facing forward and

that means two toes facing forward and

that means two toes facing forward and two facing backward to dig a deep burrow

two facing backward to dig a deep burrow

two facing backward to dig a deep burrow in the earth now that she’s created a

in the earth now that she’s created a

in the earth now that she’s created a proper home the chameleons mom lays a

proper home the chameleons mom lays a

proper home the chameleons mom lays a clutch of up to thirty eggs then mom

clutch of up to thirty eggs then mom

clutch of up to thirty eggs then mom covers the eggs with a dusting of soil

covers the eggs with a dusting of soil

covers the eggs with a dusting of soil she’ll never return here never meet her

she’ll never return here never meet her

she’ll never return here never meet her young ones the eggs remain relatively

young ones the eggs remain relatively

young ones the eggs remain relatively safe in the Burrow incubating in the

safe in the Burrow incubating in the

safe in the Burrow incubating in the temperature controlled warmth provided

temperature controlled warmth provided

temperature controlled warmth provided by the earth

fast forward to a full year later the

fast forward to a full year later the babies are finally hatching even at this

babies are finally hatching even at this

babies are finally hatching even at this early stage their skin pigment changes

early stage their skin pigment changes

early stage their skin pigment changes color

contrary to popular belief chameleons

contrary to popular belief chameleons don’t change skin color as camouflage

don’t change skin color as camouflage

don’t change skin color as camouflage instead their skin changes in response

instead their skin changes in response

instead their skin changes in response to temperature light and mood

chameleon babies tend to wait till after

chameleon babies tend to wait till after a long soaking rain to emerge the soil

a long soaking rain to emerge the soil

a long soaking rain to emerge the soil is softer and there are more insects to

is softer and there are more insects to

is softer and there are more insects to eat

and if the youngsters are lucky there

and if the youngsters are lucky there are even a few oldsters to hang out with

are even a few oldsters to hang out with

are even a few oldsters to hang out with for safety now the biggest challenge is

for safety now the biggest challenge is

for safety now the biggest challenge is to find food ah this nest of spiderlings

to find food ah this nest of spiderlings

to find food ah this nest of spiderlings will do nicely

will do nicely

will do nicely now the chameleon can try out that

now the chameleon can try out that

now the chameleon can try out that lightning-fast tongue of doom to Ho a

lightning-fast tongue of doom to Ho a

lightning-fast tongue of doom to Ho a perfect strike the first time out the

perfect strike the first time out the

perfect strike the first time out the young chameleon with no instruction or

young chameleon with no instruction or

young chameleon with no instruction or target practice has performed perfectly

target practice has performed perfectly

target practice has performed perfectly mom would be so proud if only she could

mom would be so proud if only she could

mom would be so proud if only she could see her sticky tongued dead-eyed

see her sticky tongued dead-eyed

see her sticky tongued dead-eyed youngster now