Namaqua Chameleons

The Namaqua Chameleon (Chamaeleo namaquensis) is a ground-living lizard found in the western desert regions of Namibia, South Africa, and southern Angola. In its natural habitat, it lives in arid and semiarid regions including the Karoo shrubland, sand deserts, and gravel plains. It even goes out to the intertidal zones to forage. It is a terrestrial creature that typically moves along the ground when walking, though young are frequently spotted climbing.

They are one of southern Africa's largest chameleon species, growing to a maximum length of 25 cm. Although males are relatively more robust, have larger heads and head ornamentation, and have a bulge under the base of the tail as a result of the existence of hemipenes, females are the larger sex. Due to its primary habitat being on land, its tail is much shorter than both its body and that of other arboreal chameleon species. It lacks the neck flap found in other Chamaeleo species but has prominent, pointed dorsal spines and a casque on the back of its head. This species of chameleon, like many others, has salt glands in its nose that excrete extra minerals like sodium chloride and potassium.