Panther Chameleon

The panther chameleon is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. Additionally, it has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius, as well as the state of Florida within the United States.

📌 Taxonomy

The panther chameleon was first described by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1829. The specific name pardalis refers to the animals' markings, as it is Latin for "leopard" or "spotted like a panther". The English word chameleon (also chamaeleon) derives from Latin chamaeleō, a borrowing of the Ancient Greek χαμαιλέων (khamailéōn), a compound of χαμαί (khamaí) "on the ground" and λέων (léōn) "lion". The Greek word is a calque translating the Akkadian nēš qaqqari, "ground lion". This lends to the common English name of "panther chameleon". Although currently regarded as a single widespread and variably-colored species, evidence from genetics and captive breeding indicates that it possibly should be split into several different species.

📌 Distribution

=== Range === Panther chameleons are native to Madagascar; this species is widespread in lowland areas of the eastern and northeastern sections of the country. Additionally, it has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius and recently within the US state of Florida through the pet trade.

📌 Behavior and ecology

The panther chameleon is very territorial; aside from mating, it spends the majority of its life in isolation. When two males come into contact, they will change color and inflate their bodies, attempting to assert their dominance. Often these battles end at this stage, with the loser retreating, turning drab and dark colors. Occasionally, the displays result in physical combat if neither contender backs down. Panther chameleons have a large thermoneutral zone, meaning they have a temperature range within which they do not actively try to modify their body temperature; therefore, they can allow their body temperature to drift from 24–36 degrees Celsius during the daytime.

📌 Reproduction

|thumb|right]] Panther chameleons reach sexual maturity at a minimum age of seven months.

📌 In captivity

This species is highly sought after for the international pet trade due to its coloration, large size, and readiness to breed in captivity. Panther chameleons are occasionally kept as pets due to their striking coloration. While they are easier to care for than many other species of chameleon, panther chameleons are generally considered challenging to keep in captivity. Wild panther chameleons are a short lived species; few animals survive beyond a year of age in the wild. Captive animals may live longer than their wild counterparts; with good care females can live up to 3 years and males can live 5–7 years. It was found in a recent study that the amount of UVB available to the females in captivity affects their reproductive success. As such, the more UVB the higher her reproductive success.

What is a Chameleon like as a pet?

When thinking about getting a chameleon we often make the decision based on how cool they are or how much we think our lives would be better to have a chameleon in it. And, with this comes a number of assumptions and expectations as to what a chameleon will be and provide to us. Of course, chameleons did not spend millions of years evolving into a perfect pet for humans. They have their own social structures and ways of looking at life. And, those ways are very different than ours. So the first thing to do is to learn about what chameleons are and whether you will enjoy bringing a chameleon into your life with no expectations that they will change what they are!  This podcast episode gives you a tour into what a chameleon is with the express purpose of helping you decide whether you would be right for a chameleon.

Lifespan:
With proper husbandry panther chameleons can live 5-7 years on average.