The Transkei dwarf chameleon or Pondo dwarf chameleon (''Bradypodion caffer'') is a

chameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the

Eastern Cape Province The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Reproduction

Transkei dwarf chameleon are

ovoviviparous Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous and live-bearing viviparous reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals possess embryos that develop insi ...

Habitat and conservation

Transkei dwarf chameleon inhabit low coastal forests. This habitat is deteriorating because of

overgrazing Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, game reserves, or nature res ...

by domestic livestock, clearing of land for agriculture, fuel-wood collection, invasion by introduced plants, and urbanization. The species occurs in the

Silaka Nature Reserve Silaka Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, close to the town of Port St Johns, and managed by Eastern Cape Parks Eastern Cape Parks are the national parks, marine protected areas, nature reserves and ot ...

, but is not known from other protected areas. Bradypodion caffrum submissive

References

External links

Search for Distribution of ''Bradypodion caffrum''
Bradypodion Endemic reptiles of South Africa Reptiles described in 1889 Taxa named by Oskar Boettger {{chameleon-stub