chameleons have a lot of crazy things going on and are pretty unique in the
going on and are pretty unique in the
going on and are pretty unique in the lizard world they have these
lizard world they have these
lizard world they have these independently rotating googly eyes this
independently rotating googly eyes this
independently rotating googly eyes this prehensile tail which is basically a
prehensile tail which is basically a
prehensile tail which is basically a monkey tail they can use like a fit
monkey tail they can use like a fit
monkey tail they can use like a fit limbs spring-loaded tongs that shoot out
limbs spring-loaded tongs that shoot out
limbs spring-loaded tongs that shoot out to catch their food and of course
to catch their food and of course
to catch their food and of course everyone’s heard that chameleons can
everyone’s heard that chameleons can
everyone’s heard that chameleons can change colors to match their background
change colors to match their background
change colors to match their background although that’s not actually true
although that’s not actually true
although that’s not actually true this shift colors based on their mood or
this shift colors based on their mood or
this shift colors based on their mood or temperature and some of the biggest
temperature and some of the biggest
temperature and some of the biggest color shows are between fighting males
color shows are between fighting males
color shows are between fighting males but because of all this chameleons have
but because of all this chameleons have
but because of all this chameleons have become popular pets in the US and like
become popular pets in the US and like
become popular pets in the US and like so many other exotic pets they’ve
so many other exotic pets they’ve
so many other exotic pets they’ve somehow ended up in the wilds of Florida
somehow ended up in the wilds of Florida
somehow ended up in the wilds of Florida the state that is now home to more
the state that is now home to more
the state that is now home to more non-native reptiles than anywhere else
non-native reptiles than anywhere else
non-native reptiles than anywhere else in the world but what’s curious about
in the world but what’s curious about
in the world but what’s curious about chameleons is in contrast to more
chameleons is in contrast to more
chameleons is in contrast to more infamous outsiders like the Burmese
infamous outsiders like the Burmese
infamous outsiders like the Burmese python or the Argentine tegu they don’t
python or the Argentine tegu they don’t
python or the Argentine tegu they don’t actually spread far on their own they’re
actually spread far on their own they’re
actually spread far on their own they’re slow-moving lizards that tend to stick
slow-moving lizards that tend to stick
slow-moving lizards that tend to stick to a small range so how is it that
to a small range so how is it that
to a small range so how is it that they’ve been making their way through
they’ve been making their way through
they’ve been making their way through South Florida for years and no one is
South Florida for years and no one is
South Florida for years and no one is really talking about it for a long time
really talking about it for a long time
really talking about it for a long time you could pretty much only buy imported
you could pretty much only buy imported
you could pretty much only buy imported chameleons and they were kind of pricey
chameleons and they were kind of pricey
chameleons and they were kind of pricey the importers were getting shipments
the importers were getting shipments
the importers were getting shipments from across the world hundreds of
from across the world hundreds of
from across the world hundreds of thousands over time mostly from Yemen
thousands over time mostly from Yemen
thousands over time mostly from Yemen and Madagascar and some people figured
and Madagascar and some people figured
and Madagascar and some people figured they could make their living buying and
they could make their living buying and
they could make their living buying and selling reptiles anywhere you see pretty
selling reptiles anywhere you see pretty
selling reptiles anywhere you see pretty green trees on the entire disc entire
green trees on the entire disc entire
green trees on the entire disc entire house here was 100% decaying shelters
house here was 100% decaying shelters
house here was 100% decaying shelters for lizards and snakes and aardvarks
for lizards and snakes and aardvarks
for lizards and snakes and aardvarks like dr. Dolittle on acid kind of thing
like dr. Dolittle on acid kind of thing
like dr. Dolittle on acid kind of thing it was crazy
it was crazy
it was crazy this is Brandon his family owns a
this is Brandon his family owns a
this is Brandon his family owns a popular fruit stand in South Florida and
popular fruit stand in South Florida and
popular fruit stand in South Florida and on one of their orchards is a home that
on one of their orchards is a home that
on one of their orchards is a home that was once rented out to a reptile dealer
was once rented out to a reptile dealer
was once rented out to a reptile dealer and almost you can see the ones they
and almost you can see the ones they
and almost you can see the ones they were in the cages but then you can see
were in the cages but then you can see
were in the cages but then you can see the trees next to it that’s the same
the trees next to it that’s the same
the trees next to it that’s the same lizards they ended up evicting the
lizards they ended up evicting the
lizards they ended up evicting the reptile guy and Brandon’s brother moved
reptile guy and Brandon’s brother moved
reptile guy and Brandon’s brother moved into the house but word had gotten out
into the house but word had gotten out
into the house but word had gotten out that you could find escaped
that you could find escaped
that you could find escaped chameleons on their orchard my brother
chameleons on their orchard my brother
chameleons on their orchard my brother was up one morning he was taking a
was up one morning he was taking a
was up one morning he was taking a shower and he caught a light out of his
shower and he caught a light out of his
shower and he caught a light out of his window where it shouldn’t have been a
window where it shouldn’t have been a
window where it shouldn’t have been a life so he just panicked grabs his
life so he just panicked grabs his
life so he just panicked grabs his pistol and he runs out door
pistol and he runs out door
pistol and he runs out door jaybird pistol firing in the air and
jaybird pistol firing in the air and
jaybird pistol firing in the air and trying to kill or not there was
trying to kill or not there was
trying to kill or not there was definitely people in the back edge which
definitely people in the back edge which
definitely people in the back edge which works great for the chameleons okay who
works great for the chameleons okay who
works great for the chameleons okay who would risk getting shot at in the middle
would risk getting shot at in the middle
would risk getting shot at in the middle of the night for a chameleon these are
of the night for a chameleon these are
of the night for a chameleon these are members of a Herpetological Society big
members of a Herpetological Society big
members of a Herpetological Society big time in phibian and reptile fans they’re
time in phibian and reptile fans they’re
time in phibian and reptile fans they’re known as herpers for short in our free
known as herpers for short in our free
known as herpers for short in our free time we don’t go out drinking we could
time we don’t go out drinking we could
time we don’t go out drinking we could go out herping chameleon spots and that
go out herping chameleon spots and that
go out herping chameleon spots and that the best way to find them was to go out
the best way to find them was to go out
the best way to find them was to go out at night and shine flashlights into the
at night and shine flashlights into the
at night and shine flashlights into the bushes
bushes
bushes a sleeping chameleon will turn a
a sleeping chameleon will turn a
a sleeping chameleon will turn a slightly different colored green and the
slightly different colored green and the
slightly different colored green and the leaves around it and while it is
leaves around it and while it is
leaves around it and while it is definitely illegal to release any exotic
definitely illegal to release any exotic
definitely illegal to release any exotic species in Florida there’s nothing
species in Florida there’s nothing
species in Florida there’s nothing that’s really keeping people from
that’s really keeping people from
that’s really keeping people from catching and keeping chameleons that are
catching and keeping chameleons that are
catching and keeping chameleons that are already loose if you really want to find
already loose if you really want to find
already loose if you really want to find a lot of chameleons in a lot of
a lot of chameleons in a lot of
a lot of chameleons in a lot of different spots you have to do a lot of
different spots you have to do a lot of
different spots you have to do a lot of sleuthing there’s a whole world of
sleuthing there’s a whole world of
sleuthing there’s a whole world of secretive online forums and herpers who
secretive online forums and herpers who
secretive online forums and herpers who refuse to share their chameleons
refuse to share their chameleons
refuse to share their chameleons locations
locations
locations I had big notebook of clues that I’ve
I had big notebook of clues that I’ve
I had big notebook of clues that I’ve been given and I actually found a
been given and I actually found a
been given and I actually found a chameleon spot because someone mentioned
chameleon spot because someone mentioned
chameleon spot because someone mentioned they had thrown an avocado at the
they had thrown an avocado at the
they had thrown an avocado at the chameleon and that was the last piece of
chameleon and that was the last piece of
chameleon and that was the last piece of the puzzle and I found the spot a couple
the puzzle and I found the spot a couple
the puzzle and I found the spot a couple weeks after that there in all of these
weeks after that there in all of these
weeks after that there in all of these secret spots that are not just next to
secret spots that are not just next to
secret spots that are not just next to breeders they’re on public property
breeders they’re on public property
breeders they’re on public property sometimes right next to the side of the
sometimes right next to the side of the
sometimes right next to the side of the road miles away from it
road miles away from it
road miles away from it [Music]
[Music]
[Music] but people have actually started taking
but people have actually started taking
but people have actually started taking chameleons and letting them go into
chameleons and letting them go into
chameleons and letting them go into patch of woods behind their house or
patch of woods behind their house or
patch of woods behind their house or something to that effect
something to that effect
something to that effect they will breed in time you can go back
they will breed in time you can go back
they will breed in time you can go back to collect from their babies getting
to collect from their babies getting
to collect from their babies getting free food free water free care and make
free food free water free care and make
free food free water free care and make money off of those this has become known
money off of those this has become known
money off of those this has become known as chameleon ranch when I got started it
as chameleon ranch when I got started it
as chameleon ranch when I got started it was an easy way to make extra cash but
was an easy way to make extra cash but
was an easy way to make extra cash but now they’re holies enthusiasts who are
now they’re holies enthusiasts who are
now they’re holies enthusiasts who are also spreading chameleons just for the
also spreading chameleons just for the
also spreading chameleons just for the adventure of returning to find them both
adventure of returning to find them both
adventure of returning to find them both groups are moving civilians to new spots
groups are moving civilians to new spots
groups are moving civilians to new spots if a secret location gets found out
if a secret location gets found out
if a secret location gets found out others go and collect every chameleon
others go and collect every chameleon
others go and collect every chameleon they can find and now this has been
they can find and now this has been
they can find and now this has been going on for a long enough that you
going on for a long enough that you
going on for a long enough that you wonder what it might take to stop the
wonder what it might take to stop the
wonder what it might take to stop the spread and if it’s even possible at this
spread and if it’s even possible at this
spread and if it’s even possible at this point there are 180 species of reptile
point there are 180 species of reptile
point there are 180 species of reptile amphibian introduced to the state of
amphibian introduced to the state of
amphibian introduced to the state of Florida
Florida
Florida 63 of those had become established we
63 of those had become established we
63 of those had become established we would love to tackle every invasive
would love to tackle every invasive
would love to tackle every invasive species problem that comes up but we
species problem that comes up but we
species problem that comes up but we don’t even have the resources to tackle
don’t even have the resources to tackle
don’t even have the resources to tackle the high priority ones correctly you
the high priority ones correctly you
the high priority ones correctly you know chameleons are pretty low on the
know chameleons are pretty low on the
know chameleons are pretty low on the totem pole not enough studies exist to
totem pole not enough studies exist to
totem pole not enough studies exist to know if chameleons are truly invasive
know if chameleons are truly invasive
know if chameleons are truly invasive and so they remain somewhat unchecked in
and so they remain somewhat unchecked in
and so they remain somewhat unchecked in the shadow of more damaging reptiles and
the shadow of more damaging reptiles and
the shadow of more damaging reptiles and as wild and captive bred Florida
as wild and captive bred Florida
as wild and captive bred Florida chameleons were added to the market with
chameleons were added to the market with
chameleons were added to the market with a reputation for being harder the
a reputation for being harder the
a reputation for being harder the shipments from lizards caught and sold
shipments from lizards caught and sold
shipments from lizards caught and sold in their home countries actually dropped
in their home countries actually dropped
in their home countries actually dropped so for better or worse between all the
so for better or worse between all the
so for better or worse between all the guns shadows and secrets it seems like
guns shadows and secrets it seems like
guns shadows and secrets it seems like these chameleons are here to stay
[Music]
[Music] you
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