Catching a Meal Survival in the forest requires keeping a watchful eye out for danger. Luckily, that’s not a problem for a chameleon. Its cone- shaped eyes can look in different directions at the same time. A chameleon has good eyesight. It can see small insects from as far as 10 meters away. Once a chameleon spots prey, it has to


catch it. But that isn’t a problem, either. A chameleon has a long, sticky tongue. Its tongue may be twice as long as its body. When prey is in sight, a chameleon’s


tongue shoots out of its mouth. In a flash, the sticky end snags an insect. Te tongue clings to the struggling insect like a suction cup. Te chameleon then pulls in its tongue and munches its crunchy prey. A chameleon’s tongue moves through


the air at an incredible speed. Muscles in the tongue stretch elastic tissues, much like pulling back a bow. When the chameleon releases those tissues, its tongue flies forward like an arrow.


A chameleon’s toes are divided into groups.


Mitten Feet As a chameleon hunts for prey, it moves over narrow and rough branches without falling off. A chameleon’s foot has groups of two and three toes. Each foot looks like a mitten. A chameleon’s toes and sharp claws


give it a firm grip. When a chameleon moves, it steps very slowly. It moves one leg at a time. Oſten, it rocks its body back and forth between each step. Tis odd movement looks like a leaf fluttering in the breeze. A chameleon uses its long tail, too. Its tail can wrap around a branch and hold its body steady.


A chameleon’s thick, muscular tail helps it hang on to thin branches.


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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


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