Chameleon
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
WIRES received an unusual call last week from a lady in the Ryde area, who had found an 'exotic' looking lizard on a table leg in her courtyard that was not moving much. Jo, our WIRES Rescue Van operator rang the lady for more details to determine if the reptile needed rescuing.
After speaking with the lady Jo decided she needed to go and investigate as she described a lizard that was pale green, blue and red and had a knob on its head. This description does not correspond to any native Australian lizard. When Jo arrived she found a lizard exactly as described, it was very cold and definitely not a native reptile, it was a chameleon. Jo contained the chameleon and sent a photo to a reptile expert for species confirmation. It was obviously an escaped pet, even though they are an illegal exotic pet in Australia and only licensed zoos and wildlife parks can keep them.
It is in care with a WIRES reptile handler being fed and stabilized while a place is found for it to be rehomed, most likely a wildlife park. It was identified as a Veiled Chameleon, which are a large chameleon native to the mountain regions of Yemen and surrounding countries, they are a tree dwelling lizard.
Image credit Matteo Ratini

Recent Posts
Safeguarding Australia's Cherished Wombats: A Compassionate Collaboration
Joining Forces for Platypus Rescue: WIRES and Taronga Zoo's Collective Mission
Drones Used to Monitor Post-Release Outcomes of Koalas
Preparing for Elevated Bushfire Season
How a Community Saved a Kangaroo Mob from Ticks
Primary Schoolers become Wildlife Warriors
Sophie and Oscar's Journey Back to the Wild
Emergency Response Training for Wildlife Volunteers
WIRES Introduces New Wildlife Rehabilitation Governance Courses in Collaboration with NPWS
Contact [email protected] for enquiries or call 0416 272 153.
For the latest updates on bushfire recovery projects and emergency response
Read WIRES Emergency Recovery Plan and WIRES National Emergency Response Plan