Veiled chameleon

The veiled chameleon is a colourful lizard with a tall bump on its head called a casque, a bit like a little helmet. It wears bold bands of green, gold, and blue, sometimes mixed with yellow and orange. It lives in the warm, dry hills of the Arabian Peninsula, near where the countries of Yemen and Saudi Arabia meet.

This chameleon has amazing eyes. Each eye can turn on its own, so one eye can look forward while the other looks back. That way it can watch almost all around itself at once. When it spots a tasty insect, it shoots out a long, sticky tongue to grab it from far away.

Veiled chameleons are famous for changing colour. Their skin can shift to match how they feel, how warm they are, and the world around them. A calm chameleon may be bright green, which also helps it hide among the leaves. Its curly tail can wrap around a twig and hold on tight while it climbs.

Most of its meals are insects, and green ones seem to be a favourite. It also nibbles a few leaves and pieces of fruit. People think this helps it get a little water when the weather is very dry and there is not much to drink.

A mother veiled chameleon digs in the sand and lays a big batch of eggs, sometimes many dozens at a time. She covers them up, and after a while tiny chameleons hatch out ready to climb and explore. There are still plenty of these chameleons in the wild, and many people love keeping and learning about them.