Wildlifeof Madagascar
Panther Chameleon
Furcifer Chameleons
Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Furcifer pardalis
Basic stats
Diet
Mostly terrestrial invertebrates, very rarely plant material
Habitat
Lowland rainforest in the east and drier broken forest in the north-west; thrives in degraded habitat near roads, homes and plantations
Range
Eastern and northern Madagascar, and offshore islands such as Nosy Be, Sainte Marie and Nosy Mangabe; introduced to Réunion, Mauritius and Florida
Clutch size
10–40 eggs
Size
Total length 40–51cm; males larger than females
Weight
Maximum about 270g (ReptTraits)
The panther chameleon is a large, arboreal chameleon in which males are much more brightly coloured and bigger than females. Colour varies strongly by locality: males from Nosy Be, Ankify and Ambanja are typically vivid blue, those from Ambilobe, Antsiranana and Sambava are red, green or orange, and those from Maroantsetra and Tamatave are mostly red. Females stay tan and brown with hints of pink, peach or orange (Wikipedia, general species account).
Like all chameleons it has feet with fused toes in groups of two and three for gripping branches, and a tongue sometimes longer than its body. It is very territorial and mostly solitary: two males that meet change colour and inflate their bodies, and most contests end there. It is a facultative thermoregulator that basks, and a female that is carrying eggs turns dark brown or black with orange stripes to warn males off. Females lay 10–40 eggs per clutch and live only two to three years after their first clutch (Wikipedia; ReptTraits, Oskyrko et al. 2024).
The panther chameleon copes well with disturbance and is often seen near roads and gardens. On this guide it is a target species of Andasibe-Mantadia, Masoala, Marojejy, Montagne d'Ambre, Nosy Be and Sainte Marie.
Quick answers
- What does the Panther Chameleon eat?
- Mostly terrestrial invertebrates, very rarely plant material
- What habitat does the Panther Chameleon live in?
- Lowland rainforest in the east and drier broken forest in the north-west; thrives in degraded habitat near roads, homes and plantations
- Where is the Panther Chameleon found?
- Eastern and northern Madagascar, and offshore islands such as Nosy Be, Sainte Marie and Nosy Mangabe; introduced to Réunion, Mauritius and Florida
- How many eggs does the Panther Chameleon lay?
- 10–40 eggs
- How big is the Panther Chameleon?
- Total length 40–51cm; males larger than females
- How much does the Panther Chameleon weigh?
- Maximum about 270g (ReptTraits)