Male Jackson's chameleon
Female Jackson's chameleon
They are sometimes called
three-horned chameleons because males possess three brown horns: one on the
nose (the rostral horn) and one above each superior orbital ridge above the
eyes (preocular horns), somewhat reminiscent of the ceratopsid dinosaur
genus Triceratops. The
females generally have no horns or traces of the rostral horn (in the
subspecies T. j. jacksonii and T.
j. merumontanus). The coloring is usually bright green, with some
individual animals having traces of blue and yellow, but like all chameleons,
they change color quickly depending on mood, health, and temperature.
These are small to medium-sized
chameleons. Their adult size is 12 inches (30 cm) in total length.
They have a saw-tooth shaped dorsal ridge and no gullar crest. They attain
sexual maturity after five months. The lifespan is variable, with males generally
living longer than females.
Jackson's chameleons live
primarily on a diet of small insects. They are less territorial than most
species of chameleons. Males will generally assert dominance over each other
through color displays and posturing in an attempt to secure mating rights, but
usually not to the point of physical fights.
Jackson's chameleons are native to the humid, cooler regions
of Kenya and Tanzania, East Africa, and found in great numbers at altitudes
over 3,000 m. The subspecies T. j. merumontanus can only be found on Mount Meru
and the Arusha Region of Tanzania. The subspecies T. j. xantholophus was
introduced to Hawaii in the 1970s and has since established populations on all
main islands. This population was the primary source of Jackson's chameleons
for the exotic pet trade. However, the exportation of these animals (and many
others) from Hawaii for the pet trade has been made illegal to prevent
opportunists from willfully establishing further feral animal populations to
capture and sell them.
