Rainforest Refuge: First Record of Chamaeleo gracilis in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire

In their 2022 study published in Zoological and Entomological Letters, Kouadio Atta Léonard and colleagues confirmed the presence of seven lizard species in Taï National Park, southwestern Côte d'Ivoire—including the first documented occurrence of the graceful chameleon (Chamaeleo gracilis) in this protected area.

Key Highlights:

• New Locality Record: Chamaeleo gracilis was observed exclusively in primary rainforest habitats, reinforcing its preference for intact forest ecosystems.

• Habitat Specificity: The species was absent from secondary vegetation and agricultural landscapes (coffee/cocoa plantations, rubber plantations, rice fields), indicating vulnerability to habitat degradation.

• Behavioral Observation: A female C. gracilis was seen laying eggs on the forest floor, a behavior typical of chameleons.

• Survey Scope: Researchers conducted 320 hours of visual surveys across 40 plots, spanning diverse habitat types.

• Conservation Insight: The presence of C. gracilis and other forest-dependent species underscores the ecological integrity of Taï National Park and highlights the importance of preserving its primary forest blocks.

This study expands the known distribution of C. gracilis in West Africa and contributes valuable data to the region's under-documented herpetofauna.

Reference:

Kouadio, Atta Léonard, Assemian N'guessan Emmanuel, Goly N'guessan Simplice, Keita Gaoussou, and Tiédoué Manouhin Roland. 2022. "First Record of Seven Species of Lizards in Taï National Park (South West, Côte d'Ivoire)." Zoological and Entomological Letters 2(2):36–41. Retrieved August 22, 2025 (https://www.zoologicaljournal.com/article/45/2-1-22-290.pdf).