Every year around this time, I pay multiple visits to the Constantia Cape dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion pumilum, I believe, thanks Jay and Guy for the great book!) – counting them, scouting for new habitat and informally studying their behavior and color patterns. They are fascinating and while not necessarily noted as territorial by the literature, I have been finding them over and over again in the same line of little trees. 

Last year, I counted 12 individuals all within 20 or 30 meters of each other with the exception of 2. I’m only up to 8 this year, the 2 remote ones having disappeared replaced by 2 new ones on a different site. So they remain heavily concentrated in one specific spot, whether by habit or because my observation efforts have been tenfold there.

The Bradypodion genus is viviparous and the young are left to themselves when they are born, still vulnerable but ready to feed autonomously. These are not social animals and it would seem that despite my consistent luck at spotting 2 adult individuals per tree, they only cohabit because of limited suitable habitat.

Regardless, they are amazingly colorful and as cute as pie.