Myth 139: “People Do Not Eat Chameleons”

The idea that chameleons are never eaten is a convenient fiction. In reality, across Africa, their consumption is documented in contexts of subsistence, ritual, and survival. The practice is not widespread, but it exists—and it challenges the myth of chameleons as untouchable icons of biodiversity.

On their physical reality: chameleons are small, hollow-bodied reptiles. Adults typically weigh only 50–150 grams, with little flesh and much air. They are not a source of abundant meat. Eating one is not a feast but a supplement, a gesture of necessity or symbolism. This biological fact explains why their consumption is rare and often situational.

In Madagascar, rural communities near the eastern rainforests, including Andasibe-Mantadia, have been observed catching chameleons for food. They are valued for their unusual flavor and occasionally prepared in traditional dishes.

In Cameroon, rural populations include chameleons in their diets when protein is scarce. Hunters capture them during foraging trips, and they are cooked alongside staple foods.

In Kenya, reports describe people resorting to eating chameleons during times of hunger. This is not a cultural tradition but a survival measure, a fallback when other food is unavailable.

In West Africa, the practice shifts from subsistence to ritual. Dried chameleons are sold in voodoo markets in Benin and Ghana, used in magic and medicine. Consumption may take the form of cooked flesh, powdered remains, or soup—part of a symbolic act rather than a dietary one.

The myth persists because Western conservation narratives often portray chameleons as sacred, fragile creatures beyond human use. But local realities are more complex. Chameleons are eaten, sparingly and reluctantly, in contexts of scarcity, ritual, or tradition. The practice is real, though limited, and it raises urgent questions of sustainability. Overharvesting, combined with habitat destruction, threatens many species, especially Madagascar's endemics.

Chameleons are consumed, but their small size and fragile bodies mean they provide little nourishment. They are not a staple food, yet their role in survival, ritual, and trade is undeniable—and it demands both cultural respect and ecological responsibility.