Common Chameleon

Chamaeleo chamaeleon

Caméléon commun·الحرباء الشائعة

Conservation status:LCLeast Concern
Population trend:Stable
Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon), Morocco

The Common Chameleon, the only member of its family in Morocco, is one of the easiest lizards in the country to recognise: eyes that move independently of each other, toes fused into pincers, a prehensile tail and a tongue almost as long as the animal itself, which it uses to hunt. It spends its life in shrubs and trees, where its camouflage makes it hard to spot, to the point of giving rise to the popular belief that it takes on the colour of whatever it touches.

Found across much of the Mediterranean region, it has about a quarter of its global range in Morocco, from Tangier in the north to Dakhla in the Sahara. It also holds a special place in traditional medicine here: it is the reptile most often sold in the souks, dried or alive, as a remedy or as protection against the evil eye. Although listed as Least Concern, it faces several pressures whose impact remains poorly assessed.

The Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) is a medium-sized chameleon with a laterally compressed body, long thin limbs and a prehensile (grasping) tail. Adults measure 8.5 to 16 cm from snout to vent1518. Total length usually ranges from 19 to 25 cm, although animals of 30 cm are not unusual27.

The head carries a casque (a helmet-shaped crest) raised towards the rear, a strongly curved parietal crest and a small occipital lobe on each side32644. A small crest of conical scales between the eyes is most developed in North African animals29. The eyes move independently and are covered by a circular eyelid, and the toes are fused into opposing pincers32644.

Common Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon): the head seen from above, individuals on branches and a portrait highlighting the circular eyelid that covers the eye, Morocco
Common Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon): the head seen from above, individuals on branches and a portrait highlighting the circular eyelid that covers the eye.

The skin is covered with small granular scales, and a row of conical scales forms a short crest along the front of the back32644. A pale line often runs along the midline of the belly29. The ground colour is usually green or brown with two broken yellow lines on the flanks, but it changes quickly according to temperature, reproductive state, the need for camouflage and social context32644. Most animals show one or more rows of pale spots on the flanks29.

Sexual dimorphism is weak. Males have a swollen tail base, which houses the two hemipenes, the male copulatory organs2916. They also have a relatively longer tail and a higher casque29. The two sexes reach a similar length, but females are heavier30.

Juveniles resemble adults but have a more rounded head and a black palate171327. Their parietal crest is almost straight and becomes curved with age29.

In western populations, Moroccan ones included, both sexes tend to have a relatively shorter tail, and males a higher casque, than in the eastern part of the range29.

Two Common Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) showing the range of colours in the species, from greyish brown to bright green, Morocco
Two Common Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) showing the range of colours in the species, from greyish brown to bright green.
Young Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) only a few centimetres long, on a branch and on the ground, Morocco
Young Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) only a few centimetres long, on a branch and on the ground.
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Several subspecies of the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) have been described across its vast range29. A study of more than 500 specimens, mostly from museum collections, concluded that, apart from the chameleons of the Sinai, the populations from Morocco to the Levant vary gradually and belong to a single form, the nominate subspecies29. Recent work still recognises four subspecies (chamaeleon, musae, orientalis and recticrista) and assigns Moroccan populations to the nominate one48.

Genetic analyses of animals from Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula found two groups of closely related lineages in Morocco. One occurs along the Atlantic coast, the other on the Mediterranean coast and south of the Atlas39. Spanish and Portuguese chameleons carry the same lineages as Moroccan animals, which suggests that people brought them from Morocco twice, probably in the recent past39.

Later work found strongly divergent lineages in the eastern Mediterranean, and showed that a Tunisian animal is close to these eastern lineages20. A genetic break may therefore lie somewhere in north-west Africa, between Moroccan and Tunisian populations, but the evidence rests on a single Tunisian animal and range-wide sampling is still needed20. Chameleons have been moved by people around the Mediterranean, to Malta and southern Italy among others48, so this animal may not represent the local population.

Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) range map in Morocco
Distribution of Chamaeleo chamaeleon in Morocco.About this map

These distribution maps are produced by Fauna Morocco. Ranges are shown as estimates based on published records and our own field observations. They are updated when new data become available. Check out the references used for this map.

The Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) ranges from Morocco and the Atlantic Sahara across northern Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt to Cyprus, southern Turkey, the Levant and Iraq, the western Arabian Peninsula and northern Yemen, and the Greek islands of Samos and Chios. It occurs from sea level to 1,850 m49. The populations of southern Spain and Portugal were probably introduced by people3949, as was the small population of southern Italy49.

In Morocco, the species occurs widely in the northern half of the country, across all climate zones from subhumid to arid43. Morocco holds about 25% of the global range of the species41. The species ranges from sea level to 1,800 m in the Central High Atlas27. The northern limit is the Mediterranean coast, where it occurs in the Tangier and Tetouan region3411. In the western Rif and the Tingitana Peninsula, its range is limited and fragmented11. North of the Atlas Mountains, the Common Chameleon ranges from the Atlantic coast39 east to the high plateaus of the southern Oriental, near Ksar Morhel2.

South of the Atlas, the species enters the Sahara along the Ziz and Drâa valleys and down the Atlantic coast1026. On the Saharan coast it seems rare, with records from Tarfaya, Laâyoune and 87 km south of Boujdour2549. In the Atlantic Sahara, the southern limit now lies in the Dakhla region4340335.

In the south, the known records form small, widely separated patches, which may reflect the true fragmentation of a once continuous range after the loss of woody vegetation and the advance of the desert2635. Low survey effort in the Atlantic Sahara is another possible explanation43. Some southern animals may also have been moved by people, as several records lie beside busy roads and the species is often captured locally40.

In Morocco, the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) usually lives where trees or well-developed shrubs grow, in scrub, gardens, oases and along oued beds2327. In the north, it occurs most often in mosaics of natural vegetation and cropland34, and in a mix of forest, shrubland and grazing land11. On the Atlantic coastal plain around Kénitra, we have found it in cork oak woodland, eucalyptus plantations and juniper and retama scrub. Further inland, we have observed it in a range of habitats, from olive groves near Ouazzane to the edges of river beds in the foothills of the Atlas and the dense shrubland of the Beni Snassen mountains (pers. obs.).

Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) on a shrub at the edge of a dry riverbed, around Guelmim, Morocco
Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) on a shrub at the edge of a dry riverbed, around Guelmim.

South of Laâyoune, almost all records come from graras, shallow depressions in old river beds where runoff from the rare rains collects and supports shrubs and trees such as acacias and tamarisks43340. Recent farmland irrigated with pumped groundwater may now offer the species new habitat, or extend habitats once restricted to the surroundings of oueds (pers. comm.).

Where vegetation is sparse, chameleons shelter under small piles of stones, always near water, even if it is only temporary27. Along the Saharan coast, they also occur in low, sparse vegetation26, and on stony plains with only scattered shrubs, crossing open ground to move between them472840. During our expeditions, we found chameleons on rocky plains far from any dense vegetation, possibly dispersing animals (pers. obs.).

Common Chameleon habitat: olive grove and fields in a rural farming area between Ouarzazate and Tinghir, Morocco
Olive grove and fields in a rural farming area between Ouarzazate and Tinghir.
Common Chameleon habitat: outskirts of a coastal town, among eucalyptus, shrubs and litter, Morocco
Outskirts of a coastal town, among eucalyptus, shrubs and litter.
Common Chameleon habitat: riverbed with dense vegetation, south of Guelmim, Morocco
Riverbed with dense vegetation, south of Guelmim.
Common Chameleon habitat: dry riverbed in the Anti-Atlas, near Tafraoute, Morocco
Dry riverbed in the Anti-Atlas, near Tafraoute.
Common Chameleon habitat: stony plain with scattered euphorbias and shrubs, Morocco
Stony plain with scattered euphorbias and shrubs.
Common Chameleon habitat: edge of a depression that still holds some moisture in an otherwise very dry landscape, at the gates of the Sahara, Morocco
Edge of a depression that still holds some moisture in an otherwise very dry landscape, at the gates of the Sahara.
Common Chameleon habitat: partly dry riverbed by the sea, between Sidi Ifni and Plage Blanche, Morocco
Partly dry riverbed by the sea, between Sidi Ifni and Plage Blanche.
Coastal habitat of the Common Chameleon, made up almost entirely of shrubs, near Essaouira, Morocco
Coastal habitat made up almost entirely of shrubs, near Essaouira.

Like other chameleons, the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) is active by day and rests at night (pers. obs.), adults on branches and most juveniles on grass30. Its active season usually runs from March to November, and in some places animals may remain active all year27. It spends the winter in tree hollows, under leaf litter, in piles of stones or in ground cavities, and may bask on warm winter days27.

Adult Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) asleep on a branch at night, Morocco
Adult Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) asleep on a branch at night.
Adult Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) asleep on a branch at night, Morocco
Adult Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) asleep on a branch at night.

In Spain, chameleons stay active through the year, most of all around midday in spring, autumn and winter, and less so during the hottest hours of summer456. In a thermal gradient, two captive males chose temperatures between 26 and 36 °C, with a mean of 31.6 °C, and their body temperature closely follows air temperature21.

Outside the breeding season, adults move very little, often staying in the same dense tree or shrub for long periods16 and covering about 40 m a day on average7. In the breeding season, all age classes move much more, males more than females and young animals most of all16. Unpaired males then cross open ground, built-up areas and roads16. Breeding males cover 33 to 85 m a day on average15.

No published study has examined the diet of the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) in Morocco. The only North African diet data come from Libya, where hymenopterans, beetles and flies dominated, alongside plant remains and a solifuge more than 4 cm long12.

In south-eastern Spain, droppings contained only arthropods. Flies, bees and wasps, bugs and grasshoppers dominated, with spiders and beetles less frequent, and butterflies, mantids and dragonflies only occasional42. Most prey measured 3 to 12 mm, and grasshoppers were eaten more in summer and autumn, in line with their abundance42.

Reports of chameleons eating bird chicks come from captive animals16. Small lizards, however, are taken in the wild. In Malta, an endemic lizard was found in half of the stomachs examined33, and lizard predation has also been reported from Tunisia and Morocco378. Fruit can make up as much as 23% of the food items of adults30.

An ambush hunter, the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) catches its prey with its long tongue16, which can extend to about the animal's total length27. Adults can catch prey 12 to 28 cm away30. Most prey are flying and mobile insects, as expected from an ambush hunter living in shrubs42.

In Morocco, predators of the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) include the Montpellier Snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), birds of prey such as the Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus) and the Lesser and Common Kestrels (Falco naumanni, Falco tinnunculus), and mammals such as the Black and Brown Rats (Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus), the Common Genet (Genetta genetta) and the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)46. In the Iberian Peninsula, the same snake, harrier, kestrels and rats are recorded as predators, together with the Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis), which also occurs in Morocco326. Domestic cats kill chameleons as well1918. Adults sometimes prey on juveniles of their own species30.

When threatened, the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) first relies on staying still and hidden in the vegetation18. A chameleon that feels exposed flattens its body and slips behind a branch, a behaviour known as branch circling2718. Camouflage works best in dense shrubs, where chameleons are harder to spot and let a person come closer before reacting18.

When the threat comes closer, the chameleon moves away, or lets go of the branch and drops into the vegetation or to the ground18. Hatchlings drop more often than larger animals, at least in dense shrubs18. Animals of all ages gape as a threat display18 and produce loud hisses18 (pers. obs.). When handled, a chameleon opens its mouth wide and tries to bite hard, but it soon stops27. The bite is harmless to people.

The breeding season runs from July to October27. The species is oviparous (egg-laying), with a single clutch per year179. Courtship and pair formation run from late July to mid-September17. The male displays in front of the female, his body flattened sideways, his tail tightly curled and his skin dark green with black spots15. He shakes his head and taps the female's back and the base of her tail with it, and a female that is not receptive hisses and rejects him46. He then follows her closely to keep other males away, and inflates his body at rival males15. Guarding lasts about two weeks on average, and larger males guard and mate with more females, one after another15.

The larger male usually wins contests between males, and the loser turns dark brown15. Most females mate with a single male, and about half of the males do not mate at all in a season13. Large males stay green and guard females, whereas young males turn brown and resemble females31.

Before mating, the receptive female turns green with yellow spots14. Mating takes place mainly from late August to mid-September17. Soon after, the female takes on a black livery with yellow and bluish spots and aggressively rejects any male16. Egg-laying takes place 34 to 40 days after mating, from late September to early November1719. The female digs a tunnel 20 to 87 cm long in sandy soil and lays her eggs 15 to 60 cm deep19. She often spends the night inside the tunnel16.

Clutches hold 4 to 40 eggs, and larger females lay more eggs19. Clutch mass is very high, on average 60 to 70% of the female's mass after laying, and in some females equal to her own mass19. In dry years, females are smaller, lay fewer eggs and do so later, and many die during nesting19.

At laying, the embryo stops developing at an early stage and resumes only in spring1. Hatching takes place mainly in August, about 10.5 months after laying1. Hatchlings measure 56 to 67 mm in total length16. Both sexes can reach sexual maturity the summer after hatching, but about 40 to 45% of yearling females do not breed, mainly those under about 9 cm from snout to vent17.

There is no published record of the longevity of the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) in Morocco. In southern Spain, animals have been recorded living up to seven years in the wild16.

The Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) is listed as Least Concern worldwide by the IUCN, with a stable population trend49. The regional red list for Morocco also classes it as Least Concern41, whereas it had earlier been considered threatened at the national level23. It is strictly protected under Appendix II of the Bern Convention and listed in Appendix II of CITES384. In Morocco, it is protected by Law 29-05 on the protection of wild species and their trade, which prohibits its sale45.

Several threats nonetheless persist in Morocco, although their impact has not yet been properly assessed. The main ones are:

  • Capture for traditional medicine. It is the reptile most often sold in Moroccan markets, with 720 animals recorded in 2013-2014, mostly in Marrakesh, Casablanca and Rabat, and an estimated 1,520 animals (921 to 2,303) sold each year38. Animals are sold dried or alive, and used against illness, fever and infertility, or as protection against the evil eye38. According to sellers we spoke with, they are also burned as incense, and herbalists resell them for 20 to 80 MAD depending on size. Our sample remains limited, however (pers. obs., see our 2025 mission report). Their eggs are also sold and used, like the dead animals (pers. obs.). If the animals come from populations close to the trading cities, this trade could cause local extinctions4. Many, however, are caught further away and traded in large numbers (pers. obs.).
Dried Common Chameleon sold by a herbalist for traditional medicine, Morocco
Dried chameleon sold by a herbalist for traditional medicine.
Common Chameleon in an incense mix, burned to ward off the evil eye, Morocco
Chameleon in an incense mix, burned to ward off the evil eye.
Dried Common Chameleon displayed on a herbalist's stall, Morocco
Dried chameleon displayed on a herbalist's stall.
Dried juvenile Common Chameleon, also sold as a remedy, Morocco
Dried juvenile, also sold as a remedy.
  • Capture for the pet trade and for tourists. Live chameleons are displayed to attract tourists and sold as pets, for 100 to 800 MAD, in souks as well as online (pers. obs.). Vendors believe they can live on mint leaves, and dead chameleons are regularly seen in the stalls5. We also saw chameleons being fed minced beef (pers. obs.).
Gravid female Common Chameleon captured and offered for sale to tourists, Morocco
Gravid female captured and offered for sale to tourists.
Live Common Chameleons kept with tortoises, at risk of being trampled, Morocco
Live chameleons kept with tortoises, at risk of being trampled.
  • Road traffic, especially in the breeding season, when males search for females and females for nest sites27.
  • Degradation of woody vegetation in the south through desertification and growing herds of camels, goats and sheep, which threatens the isolated populations of the graras43.
  • Water cisterns and other water-holding structures, which trap many reptiles24. During our expeditions, we repeatedly found chameleons trapped in these cisterns, dead or alive, sometimes more than five in a single one (pers. obs.).
  • Urbanisation, tourist development and agricultural intensification4149.
Common Chameleon killed on a road, Morocco
Roads cut through the species' habitat and chameleons often cross them, especially in the breeding season.
Common Chameleon dead in a water reservoir it could not climb out of, Morocco
Chameleon dead in a water reservoir it could not climb out of.

Market chameleons are also a health issue for people, since 4 of 30 animals examined in Marrakesh carried potentially zoonotic microorganisms36.

Fauna Morocco runs a study and conservation project on the Common Chameleon with the Caméléon Center Conservation, Morocco Herpetology and La Perle aux Oiseaux. Learn more about the project here, or read our mission report on the threats the species faces in Morocco.

Maps

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  • GBIF.org (2026). GBIF occurrence download (27 September 2026). https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.uywxgq
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How to cite

Ruffieux, C., & Vuillemin, R. (2026). Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon). In: Castella, C., Iallaten, H., Ruffieux, C., & Vuillemin, R. (Eds.), Fauna Morocco. The Free Encyclopedia: Reptiles & Amphibians of Morocco. Available from https://fauna-morocco.org/encyclopedia/sauria/chamaeleonidae/chamaeleo-chamaeleon.html (accessed 18 October 2026).

Published

18 October 2026

Last updated

18 October 2026

Authors

Colin Ruffieux
Rayane Vuillemin

Reviewers

Haytam Iallaten
Mohamed Taha Aissaoui

Photography

Rayane Vuillemin

Methodology

Each account is a scientific synthesis: we compile the literature, read each paper in full, verify facts against their original sources when possible, and flag uncertainties for expert review. It is written first in English, reviewed by the team, then translated into French and Arabic. Every claim is referenced, and accounts are updated as knowledge advances. If you spot a mistake or an omission, please get in touch so we can fix it.