Chameleons by Ethan Balsamo By Ethan Balsamo 1

Introduction I can change colors to show the mood I am in, or if I am cold or hot. I can also change colors to help me hide from my enemies… WHAT AM I? A Chameleon…………. 2

Physical Description Chameleons are reptiles. They have long tongues they can stick out quick to catch insects. They can move their eyes in two different directions. They can change color. This helps them camouflage to hide from their enemies. The color change can take about 20 seconds. They can wrap their tales around objects. Chameleons tongues act like a little suction cup. When it hits the insect, it forms a small suction and then pulls in the bug to eat. 3

Habitat Chameleons are found in Africa, Asia and Europe. They live in rain forests, savannahs and semi-desert places. They like to stay mostly in trees. They can be found in rainy jungles or in dry deserts, at the sea or the mountains. Most species live in forests, where they crawl around in the trees and bushes. Others live in trees and bushes found in more open places such as scrublands. 4

Diet – What do Chameleons Eat? Chameleons eat mostly bugs like locusts, mantis, grasshoppers, and crickets. They can eat worms and other bugs too. If a chameleon gets really big, they can eat birds and other lizards. The end of their tongue forms a suction cup and hooks to the bugs, then pulls them back into their mouths. Their strong jaws can then crush up their bugs to eat. 5

Life Cycle Most female chameleons lay eggs. They dig a hole in the ground to put their eggs in. Then after she lays the eggs, she buries them, and then she leaves the nest. When they are born, they start to hunt bugs after they are a few days old. We do not know how long they live. We do know that in zoos, chameleons have lived for 10 years. 6

Predators Birds, snakes and other lizards are the main danger to chameleons. Chameleons can change colors to match their surroundings. 7

Chameleon Fast Facts Almost half of all chameleons in the world live in Madagascar. Most chameleons change from brown to green and back, but some can turn almost any color. Chameleon eyes have a 360-degree arc of vision and can see two directions at once. Chameleons do not have an outer or a middle ear so there is neither an ear opening nor an eardrum. However, chameleons are not deaf. They can detect sound frequencies. 8

Glossary Camouflage ---concealment by natural means, changing color to be concealed. Reptiles ---an animal that crawls or moves on its belly (as a snake) or on small short legs (as a lizard) Savannahs ---a tropical or subtropical grassland (as of eastern Africa) containing scattered trees and drought-resistant undergrowth 9

Table of Contents Introduction pg. 2 Physical Description pg. 3 Habitat pg. 4 Diet pg. 5 Life Cycle pg. 6 Predators pg. 7 Chameleons – Fast Facts pg. 8 Glossary pg. 9

11 Works Cited 1. Fun Lizard Facts for Kids - Chameleon, Gecko, Iguana, KomodoFun Lizard Facts for Kids - Chameleon, Gecko, Iguana, Komodo 2. Facts about CHAMELEONSFacts about CHAMELEONS 3. San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: ChameleonSan Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Chameleon Things You Didn't Know About Chameleons «TwistedSifter10 Things You Didn't Know About Chameleons «TwistedSifter