Rhinocerous Chameleon (Furcifer rhinoceratus)

Chameleons are usually solitary, tree-dwelling reptiles, and hunt by rapidly firing out the extremely long, sticky tongue to capture prey. Male chameleons are territorial, and, as in other chameleon species which possess horns or nasal projections, it is likely that the 'horn' of the male rhinoceros chameleon is used in combat, as well as being used by the female to choose potential mates. Chameleons are well-known for their ability to change colour, a phenomenon brought about by contracting and expanding pigment-containing cells in the skin. These colour changes may be used as social signals (5). Little information is available on the reproductive behaviour of the rhinoceros chameleon. Clutches of four to eleven eggs have been reported in captivity, with hatching occurring after 291 days, and the newly hatched rhinoceros chameleons weighing between 0.38 and 0.44 grams (2).

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