RapportFondation_2026_V03 Pages LIGHT EN - Flipbook - Page 22
Protect & restore
2025 REPORT
MADAGASCAR
©CCC
The Parson’s chameleon
A fragile giant in need of protection
AMOUNT COMMITED TO DATE: € 10.000
2025 > PRESENT
Imagine a chameleon that can grow to nearly 70 centimetres in length, almost the size of a human forearm. The Parson’s
chameleon (Calumma parsonii) is the largest chameleon in the world. Despite its impressive size, this discreet resident of
Madagascar’s humid forests remains fragile.
The species is currently listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Over the past twenty years, its population is
estimated to have declined by around 30%, mainly due to the loss of its forest habitat and the illegal trade in exotic pets.
In response to these threats, the Pairi Daiza Foundation is committed to supporting the protection of this remarkable species.
Since 2025, the Pairi Daiza Foundation has been working alongside the NGO Chameleon Conservation Center (CCC) in
Madagascar, a leading organisation dedicated to the preservation of chameleons worldwide. This partnership strengthens
scientific research, field-based conservation actions and awareness-raising initiatives, helping to improve the protection
of this fascinating yet still largely unknown species.
AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
TO IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECOLOGY OF THE PARSON’S CHAMELEON IN ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY FOREST AREAS FOR ITS CONSERVATION
TO TRAIN LOCAL TEAMS TO PROTECT THE SPECIES IN THE FIELD
TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE RICHNESS AND FRAGILITY OF MADAGASCAR’S FORESTS
RECENT PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS:
IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, A PIONEERING SCIENTIFIC MISSION LED BY CCC STUDIED THE
ECOLOGY OF THIS CHAMELEON IN ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. BY
EQUIPPING FIVE WILD INDIVIDUALS WITH MINIATURE TRANSMITTERS, THE TEAM USED THIS
NON-INVASIVE METHOD TO GATHER UNPRECEDENTED DATA ON THEIR MOVEMENTS. THIS
VALUABLE INFORMATION NOW ENABLES THE PRECISE IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITY FOREST
AREAS IN MADAGASCAR, LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A TARGETED CONSERVATION
STRATEGY TO ENSURE THE SPECIES’ SURVIVAL.
22
