Hawaii has no native herpetofauna other than marine turtles, but there are many introduced reptiles that have established breeding populations on the islands. The problem with these nonnative animals is that Hawaii’s native species have not evolved to coexist with these invaders. One of this kind of invasive reptiles is the Jackson’s chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii).

Jackson’s chameleons are native to montane habitats in Kenya and Tanzania. In the early 1970s, several dozen animals were imported to the island of Oahu to be sold as pets. When the chameleons arrived, they were in poor condition so they were released into the backyard of the pet shop owner to recover from the stress of the transportation. The lizards quickly spread into the Koolau mountains and established free ranging populations on Oahu. At present, chameleons exist on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), and most recently Kauai. Sadly, they usually feed on native Hawaiian invertebrates including some endangered species that are often found nowhere else in the world.

Source:

Kraus, F. et al. (2012). Diet and conservation implications of an invasive chameleon, Chameleo jacksonii in Hawaii. Biological Invasions, 14(3): 579-593.

I photographed this female Jackson’s chameleon in Manoa Valley on the island of Oahu.

Gear: Canon EOS 7D, Canon 300mm F/4 L lens, Canon 1.4x extender, Manfrotto tripod