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Veiled Chameleon | Daily Animal Facts

Animal profile

Veiled Chameleon

Chamaeleo calyptratus

ReptiliaArid to semi-arid highland valleys, wadis and mountain woodlandLeast Concern

Field profile

The veiled chameleon is a large Arabian chameleon named for the tall bony casque on its head, which is more pronounced in males. It tolerates drier conditions than most chameleons and will eat plant material as well as insects. It is among the most commonly kept chameleons in captivity.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2024-09-16

Veiled Chameleon

The veiled chameleon drinks from its own head

The tall casque on a veiled chameleon's head is not only a display structure. Condensing dew and mist run down its channelled surface toward the mouth, giving an animal from arid Yemeni highlands a way to drink without standing water.

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