This Chameleon Was Not Seen – Now They Found It in a Hotel Garden

In Madagascar, a team of researchers went looking for an elusive chameleon that hadn’t been seen for more than 100 years, but unexpectedly, they found the species in a large and uncultivated hotel garden.

“Species not seen for many decades or even centuries… are likely to be seriously threatened with extinction,” says expedition leader Frank Glaw, head of the Department of Vertebrates at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology. “It was a special mixture of great pleasure, excitement and relief. And the good feeling of a happy end!”

Three males and 15 females of the long-lost Voeltzkow species were found. To better understand them and save them from going extinct, the team compared them to the Labord’s chameleon, their closest cousin. Both species are believed to live only a few months during the rainy season. According to the study, the Voeltzkow chameleon should qualify as an endangered species. “The earlier their threat status can be clarified, the better the chances to prevent their extinction by conservation measures.”