Chameleons are interesting, quirky and fascinating creatures. But not everyone looks at them this way, and that sometimes poses a threat to these shy creatures.

Nature harbours many different types of creatures and one among them is the chameleon.

Chameleons are some of the most unique-looking, solitary animals on Earth. They mostly feed on insects and play an important role in balancing the ecosystem. They are a vital part of food chains as they play a huge role both as the prey species and the predators in ecosystems.

The chameleon is famous for its colour-changing skin that helps it blend in, or stand out to potential mates, and intimidate rivals. Among the chameleon's most interesting physical features are its oddly-shaped, swivelling eyes that help it pinpoint fast-moving prey. These eyes move independently of one another, rotating nearly 360 degrees.

Unfortunately, these unique creatures face a lot of threats to their survival in nature. Here, in the MM Hills- Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary landscape, this animal is in a bit of trouble.

If chameleons are spotted, they are considered omens of bad luck. There is a strong superstitious belief in these regions that sighting a chameleon is equivalent to seeing a devil. As soon as people see a chameleon, they kill it by pelting stones and then cover it with leaves.

A lot of chameleons die this way. To help people understand that this is just a superstition and a chameleon won’t harm them in any way, we at the Holematthi Nature Information Center have taken an initiative to provide awareness to students, locals, and tourists who visit the NIC. We do this by giving them information on chameleons and their importance in nature and requesting them not to kill these unique animals.

Chameleons are normally shy animals and they don't trouble or harm humans. They help in balancing the ecosystem, and in the future, we must join hands to protect these nature-friendly chameleons.

It is important to note the belief that seeing a chameleon is a bad omen is not one supported by observations or experience. It is mostly driven by fear and a misunderstanding of a unique creature and its quirks. Hence, creating awareness among people is very important to help protect our environment and wildlife.

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Abhishek coordinates the efforts and events at the Holematthi Nature Information Center. He is enthusiastic and passionate about wildlife, and dives wholeheartedly into the challenges of sharing conservation awareness and trivia about wildlife with whoever visits the NIC.