It’s useful having a set of independently moving eyes. Set in turret-like structures the chameleon can swivel one eye to detect prey and at the same time keep an eye out for predators / photographers creeping up from behind. I was lucky to spot this perfectly camouflaged Namaqua chameleon against the desert sands near Walvis Bay, in Namibia. The sun was blazing down and I happened to notice movement – it’s slow comical gait caught my eye. It was hunting ants. They have evolved ways to prevent overheating in this extreme environment and “stilting” – standing on straightened legs to keep it’s body off the hot sands and moving in extreme slow motion are actions to keep cool. While most other chameleons are arboreal, the Namaqua is a ground dweller, digging holes in the desert sand to reach the cooler layers beneath or taking shelter from the sun in burrows built by other animals.
