The Namaqua Chameleon ( Chamaeleo namaquensis ) is the only chameleon species that has adapted to live in the dry & hot desert that's why it is also known as the desert chameleon. Found throughout the Namib desert which spans across South Africa, Namibia and Angola along the Atlantic coastline. Unlike most chameleons, the Namaqua lives on the ground, but is often underground when it is too hot. This chameleon is an important part of the Namib ecosystem, feeding on the numerous tok tokkie beetles, especially the fogbasking beetles that are feeding on the detritus of the dollar bushes. The chameleon in turn is prey for large snakes such as the Namib sand snake, jackals and brown hyena and also hawks in the sky. The Namaqua chameleon has a voracious appetite and will eat 30 beetles a day , or more! It is also unusually quite fast, being the fastest chameleon on the planet, simply because it sometimes needs to chase down a beetle, also to get off the hot sand quickly between dollar bushes. The chameleon is also able to extract water from the mist / dew that sweeps over the dunes in the morning, like a lot of the other animals that have specially adapted to this ecosystem.

In this episode I also come across the Tractrac chat bird ( Emarginata tractrac ) :)

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DISCLAIMER
Jack Randall has extensive experience handling and studying wild animals. Where filming with dangerous animals Made in the Wild works with scientists and wildlife institutions. Do not attempt to handle wild animals without appropriate training and permits.

About Jack Randall:
Jack is a zoologist on an adventure! His mission is to show off the world’s most amazing animals. And to do that he must explore the world’s most wild places… You can also catch Jack on his TV show with National Geographic Wild / Disney+ called "Out There with Jack Randall" . Jack was educated at Oxford University following an apprenticeship with the iconic Steve Irwin (which started when Jack was 14!).

What Are Creature Features?
All creatures have evolved different tricks to survive in the wild places they call their homes! Each animal has an awesome story about how they look, what they eat and even how they move! Creature Features spotlight the stories behind these crazy cool adaptations.

The Science:
With over 1 Million species on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, animal populations are in decline the world over. This is due to many reasons but what we know for sure is to keep the planet's amazing diversity of wildlife we need to learn as much as possible about where and how these creatures live their lives. Collating all the data we are gathering will help build a picture of which habitats are key to sustaining the largest diversity of life on planet earth.

Thanks to our amazing team without whom the series would not have been possible!

Sarah Ash, Edit
Suzie Brearley, Production
Alex Whitcombe & Rachel Hagreen, Camera
Rodney Katutja, Field Support
Mike Wyatt, Graphics