Senior Club Competition Winners May 2026

Anton’s comments: 

I am truly honoured to have many of these Knysna Dwarf Chameleons in my garden in Mossel Bay and although they are seen as wildlife, I consider them as my pets.

The female gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs. At birth, these tiny neonates are only about two centimetres long and are perfectly formed, miniature versions of their parents. Their initial coloration is a muted, mottled brown, red-brown or grey, which serves as vital camouflage against predators like birds (in my garden). Despite their microscopic size, baby chameleons are instantly independent. They possess fully functional, independently moving eyes and a projectile tongue used to hunt tiny insects like fruit flies. Within hours of birth, they climb upward into the safety of dense foliage.

Over their first year, they shed their skin frequently as they grow. They gradually develop the vibrant green, turquoise, and purple hues characteristic of this endangered, endemic species. I witnessed 3 females giving birth to babies towards the end of 2025, and these 3 were part of the litter. This image was taken in February 2026, with them being 3 months old.

I visit them on a daily basis since I know their hiding spots by now and they do get used to you moving between them and relocating them to safer and more dense areas in the garden with the help of leaves and small branches, as I did in this image.

Camera model: Canon R 7
Lens model: Canon 70-200 F/2.8 USM Lens
ISO: 200
Aperture: F 5.0
Shutter Speed:1/1000 on tripod