{"id":11868,"date":"2024-05-22T09:27:32","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T08:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/education\/how-do-chameleons-change-colour\/"},"modified":"2025-08-15T11:32:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T10:32:25","slug":"how-do-chameleons-change-colour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/blog\/how-do-chameleons-change-colour\/","title":{"rendered":"How do Chameleons Change Colour?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re sure you\u2019d agree that animals are capable of some impressive behaviour \u2013 whether it\u2019s orcas working as a team to capture their prey or the humble crow using twigs and branches to extricate insects from trees. But as remarkable as these endeavours are, they pale in comparison to a chameleon\u2019s ability to change colour at will.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do chameleons change colour?\u201d is a question we get asked a lot about here at Blue Planet Aquarium, particularly the keepers who look after our Frog Zone exhibit<\/a>, where most of our reptiles and amphibians are housed. And to be honest we\u2019re not remotely surprised that so many people are interested in how our resident panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis)<\/em> can change colour seemingly in the blink of an eye, as it is a magical thing to witness firsthand.<\/p>\n

Of course, there\u2019s no great mystery to colour-changing chameleons and the whole process can be explained with a little science. So, that\u2019s what we aim to do today, as we show you how chameleons change colour.<\/p>\n

The science behind colour-changing chameleons<\/h2>\n

Of all ectothermic animals (which is a fancy way of saying animals that are cold-blooded), chameleons are perhaps the most famous. Indeed, if you were asked to name an animal that could change colour on Family Fortunes, we\u2019d wager that most people would say chameleon as their top answer.<\/p>\n

Like all ectotherms, a chameleon\u2019s skin features specialised cells called chromatophores, which contain lots of different coloured pigments controlled by a muscle, that contracts or retracts to let out certain pigments. Indeed, there are multiple layers of these pigment-rich cells, including iridophores and erythrophores, which are what enable these remarkable creatures to change colour.<\/p>\n

Of course, that doesn\u2019t tell the full story. These pigmented cells alone aren\u2019t what help chameleons to colour change seemingly at will; that\u2019s all to do with their body temperature.<\/p>\n

Chameleons can expand or contract their bodies to regulate their core temperature, and it\u2019s this that triggers the pigmented cells to change colour. For instance, if they\u2019re in the sun, they\u2019re likely to relax and turn a pale colour to reflect the heat, whereas if they\u2019re cold, they may contract, with their skin turning dark to absorb more warmth.<\/p>\n

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Why do chameleons change colour?<\/h2>\n

It may be nature\u2019s greatest flex, but chameleons don\u2019t just change colour for any old reason. Their ability to colour change is used as a way to regulate their body temperature, as well as a means of communicating signals to other chameleons \u2013 like when they\u2019re looking to mate, for example.<\/p>\n

We know what you\u2019re thinking: don\u2019t chameleons change colour as a form of camouflage? <\/em>But this is actually one of the biggest misconceptions people have about these ingenious reptilians. While chameleons may inadvertently avoid would-be predators by continuously changing colour, they use their neat party trick to regulate temperature first and foremost.<\/p>\n

Another reason why chameleons change colour is as a result of their changing mood and body cycle. For instance, an excited chameleon that is ready to mate might turn fully red, which serves as a way to attract prospective partners. On the other hand, when a chameleon is calm and relaxed, they\u2019re likely to turn a pale green colour,<\/p>\n

As chameleons age, their colour-changing abilities become more difficult and erratic, which is why you might see a mixture of colours and patterns displayed on older animals. Panther chameleons like those here at Blue Planet Aquarium typically live up to 5-7 years, although this may stretch to 10 for those raised in captivity.<\/p>\n

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Can all chameleons change colour?<\/h2>\n

Did you know that there are over 200 unique species of chameleons in the wild? Most live in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, but they are found elsewhere, too, including southern Europe, India, and Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s perhaps more interesting is the fact that of the 200 different species of chameleons, all <\/em>are capable of colour-changing to some degree. This means that despite huge variances in size, shape and physical appearance, most of the world\u2019s chameleons share a very special party trick.<\/p>\n

We should caveat this by saying that not all chameleons are brightly coloured and capable of flicking from one colour to the next in the blink of an eye. While some animals are revered for their colour-changing prowess, others only alter their pigmented skin tone marginally, to the point where it may not even be noticeable to the naked eye.<\/p>\n

See our very own panther chameleon<\/h2>\n

Here at Blue Planet Aquarium, we\u2019re fortunate enough to have a resident panther chameleon<\/a> (Furcifer pardalis), <\/em>which is one of the most impressive colour-changers of the whole Chamaeleonidae<\/em> family. Native to Madagascar, these impressive reptiles are among the most brightly coloured lizards in the world, with a distinctive colour-changing pattern extending along their bodies \u2013 which, helpfully, makes them very easy to spot!<\/p>\n

Would you love to get up close and personal with these remarkable colour-changers? Then why not <\/strong>reserve a spot at Blue Planet Aquarium today<\/strong><\/a>? You\u2019ll find our chameleons over at the Frog Zone exhibit.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re sure you\u2019d agree that animals are capable of some impressive behaviour \u2013 whether it\u2019s orcas working as a team to capture their prey or the humble crow using twigs and branches to extricate insects from trees. But as remarkable as these endeavours are, they pale in comparison to a chameleon\u2019s ability to change colour … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow do Chameleons Change Colour? - Blue Planet Aquarium<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cHow do chameleons change colour?\u201d is a question we get asked a lot about here at Blue Planet Aquarium. 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