NOW YOU SEE ME

Now you don’t! Jake Cleaver shares some interesting information about the Algarve’s ground lions from his visit to the Vita Nativa association in Olhão. Chameleon’s are fascinating and the more you know about them the more amazing they become!

You don’t often notice the almost magical creatures that are: The Chameleons (which is hardly surprising, what with their reputation as the masters of camouflage) until you are swerving wildly to avoid them as they cross the road - in what has to be said to be the slowest way possible. One step forward, two steps back. They are almost Moonwalking! “Billy Jean is not their lover, she’s just a girl” - that would probably run them over. But these proud Kings of Leon are amongst us, and with their 360 degree view they are probably watching you - with one eye at least.

But I realized I didn’t know too much about them. And so, back in February, when I saw an event on Facebook called “Conheces o Camaleão?”, and realised I didn’t. Certainly not as much as I would like to. It sounded too good an opportunity to pass up.

The event was in the Ecoteca de Olhão. Which turns out to be a beautiful building next to the Campsite just outside of Olhão. It’s the restored residence and grounds of the poet João Lucio, and it’s got a free museum and exhibits of his life. It even has a stairway that looks like a guitar, and a vegetable patch. It was worth coming already.

I followed the Chameleon signs and waited. A few people turned up, but mainly it was a class of 6 year olds that came. A lovely Lady with the best T-shirt of a dragonfly - which turns out to be the logo of the association Vita Nativa (that hosted the event) arrived. And we all went inside to learn more about our Algarvian Ground Lions. That’s really where their name comes from. In Greek Khamaí means Ground, and Leon/Lion. Gosh, here I go already. But here’s some more things I found out:

Chameleons change colour to match their surroundings, yes. But only if the colour is in the reptiles repertoire. There’s a rumour that if you put them on something red they would explode. This isn’t true, apparently. But the fact that we can say that with such confidence, makes me wonder about us human beings.

But they also change colour depending on how they feel. Which makes Chameleons the most honest creatures in the world. I knew I liked them!

But really. Imagine that. Imagine if humans were like that. And we all had to show our true colours, so to speak. I think it could lead to some awkward situations. A Chameleon actually changes colour completely if they see somebody in the park they don’t like. Their Aunt knows if they dont love the Christmas present she got them. And good luck denying they ate the last cricket in the cricket tin.

Because that’s the thing, as you might imagine, they normally turn much bolder, brighter colours when they are feeling good. Their girlfriend is in town. It’s a nice day. A new plague of locusts is on the swarm. And more darker colours when things aren’t going so well. That’s why if you pick them up (which you really shouldn’t do unless you absolutely have to) they will start to dim. If they get hurt. For example: scratched by a cat, which are one of their worst enemies (Cats, the newly arrived European

Magpie, and of course, us humans, are all bad news for the Chameleon). The area around their injury will turn black. And, when they die - they turn entirely black.

I don’t much fancy the black spots, but I do think it would be better if we were a little more colourful with our emotions. That way nobody could pretend to be fine - when they aren’t.

But, I’ll be honest, what I’m really angling after is this: I want to walk down the street on a good day, looking as bright, green, and funky as some of these Lovely Leons that I help cross the road. (I havent hit one yet. Thank goodness.)

The Lady with the dragonfly shirt and all the information, asked us all when we think would be the best time to look for Chameleons? In the day, or at night? Amusingly, one of the kids immediately said, “Well, obviously in the daytime. It’s dark at night. You can’t see a damn thing.” He has a point. And apparently that’s the Chameleon’s trouble. They can’t see where they are, so they can’t decide what colour they should be, and so decide to turn a bright, light green - which makes them easy to spot with a flashlight.

Also, another reason it would be good if we took a leaf out of the Chameleons book - and spiralled more easily up and down the colour spectrum. Is that it would be a lot easier to tell if somebody is pregnant. There’s no embarrassing, “Oh it’s just a food baby” moments in the Chameleon world - as they will simply turn yellow. And you should absolutely avoid touching them when they are this colour as you could break the eggs.

Yes, the eggs. Chameleons lay around 30 tiny eggs that they cover in a hole in the sand in September, and all being well they hatch 1 year later. And when they do. They are tiny. Really. Just a few centimeters. Nevertheless, they immediately start to make their way in the big bad world all on their own. Sadly, not for an awfully long time, as the average life expectancy (for our Algarve Chameleons at least) is only 3 years.

They also have amazing lingual dexterity. I mean, I can’t even touch my nose with my tongue. (I tried very hard to when I wrote this!) A Chameleon’s tongue can shoot out to more than twice their body size. And fast as well - their tongues can accelerate faster than any sports car! I bet they are amazing at tongue twisters. And capable of some very sharp quips. I wonder if it ever gets them into trouble, and they have to learn to hold their tongues?

The Chameleon we all know and love is not found in the rest of Portugal but only here in the Algarve, and is more likely to be found in the east between Quarteira and Vila Real de Santo António. The Ria Formosa is famous for them. How they first got here is a mystery. Although some scientists believe they were brought here from North Africa on fishing vessels as a lucky charm, or, perhaps it was simply a way of getting rid of the insects aboard the ships.

“You really have no idea how lucky you are”, the Lady told us. And she was right. We really didn’t. Somebody had rescued a Chameleon crossing the road (of course) that morning, and gave it in to her at RIAS (Centro de Recuperação e Investigação de Animais Selvagens, that partnered with Vita Nativa for this event) - for her to release into the wild. But since she knew she had this event in the afternoon, she waited to do it with us. Sometimes things just work out. And so we all went outside and carefully took him out of his temporary cardboard box house, and gazed in awe, before placing him on a branch and watching him make his way home. He moved so slowly, but then we blinked - and he was gone.

Afterwards, having committed him to memory we went inside to try and make our very own 3D Chameleons in his image.

What a meeting. I feel I really know our little Algarvian Lions much better now. And hopefully, now, so do you!

Vita Nativa hosts lots of different events and if you are interested in learning more about the Algarvian Flora and Fauna - follow them on Facebook, and see who else you could go and get to know.