Tripreport Malawi & Zambia 2015

For your reports/images, made outside Europe and the "Mediterranean" countries. Not to be too narrow minded and limited to our European/Mediterranean herps.

Tripreport Malawi & Zambia 2015

Postby Bobby Bok » Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:30 pm

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:especially while her hubby-to-be is away, harassing African chamies ;)


Well, I have only taken a few pictures...

The report is online under: http://www.herpsafari.nl/tripreports-ou ... wi-zambia/
Also many excellent mammal and bird pictures from my buddies Jasper and Ronald!

Here's Ronalds report: http://ronaldzimmerman.nl/malawi-2015-mount-mulanje/

While Malawi is not the African country most specious in chameleons, it does harbour an interesting array especially considering the countries small size. Definitely on the menu was to see the biggest chameleon species on the African mainland (only two Malagasy species grow bigger). Apart from the 5 species we found on our trip there are an additonal 4 species living in the country but we choose not to chase them. One of them is (near) extinct, One of them has been found once, one of them is hard to find in the dry season and one lives on the high altitude plateau of Nyika which is incredibly cold in the dry season and a loooong drive. We chose Malawi because it is reputed as the Warm Heart of Africa and safe to travel by yourself. Both true! This country stole my heart!

I can definitely agree that dry season herping is hard in Africa but all in all we found little over 50 species. To catch my first glimpse of African chameleon diveristy and African herping in general was fantastic. And besides, standing face to face with the worlds biggest land mammal just outside your tent, to see baby giraffes playing, 3 leopards having an argument with hyenas, to see a rhino 10m away in a dense bush, to have a flock of African Skimmers flying over your head, a 4m long crocodile swimming under the boat... This trip had to many high-lights to name!

cham (1).jpg
Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis)

cham (2).jpg
Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis)

cham (3).jpg
Meller's Chameleon (Trioceros melleri)

cham (4).jpg
Meller's Chameleon (Trioceros melleri)

cham (5).jpg
Mulanje Chameleon (Nadzikambia mlanjensis)

cham (6).jpg
Mulanje Chameleon (Nadzikambia mlanjensis)

cham (7).jpg
Mulanje Chameleon (Nadzikambia mlanjensis)

cham (8).jpg
Mulanje Chameleon (Nadzikambia mlanjensis)

cham (9).jpg
Mulanje Pygmy Chameleon (Rhampholeon platyceps)

cham (10).jpg
Mulanje Pygmy Chameleon (Rhampholeon platyceps)

cham (11).jpg
Nchisi Pygmy Chameleon (Rhampholeon nchisiensis)

cham (12).jpg
Nchisi Pygmy Chameleon (Rhampholeon nchisiensis) baby
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:36 am

You love Chameleons??? Never heard about that! :lol:
The melleri`s are very impressive!
Can`t wait to read the full report!
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Kristian Munkholm » Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:58 am

How can chameleons not be everyone's favourite lizard family?

I'm particularly fond of the Trioceros and Rampholeon.

Looking forward to the rest :)
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Peter Oefinger » Tue Aug 18, 2015 10:39 am

Kristian Munkholm wrote:How can chameleons not be everyone's favourite lizard family?

Hmm - squinting lizards with crooked legs and Parkinson syndrom...

To be serious, Bobby: This Pygmy Chmaeleon - does it live on trees or on the ground?
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Rob Andriessen » Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:46 pm

Great photo's! Chameleons are indeed amazing.
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Bobby Bok » Tue Aug 18, 2015 4:13 pm

Thanks a lot guys!

Chameleons are just fascinating and so incredibly diverse. With species living in rainforest, desert or grassland, either on sealevel or high altitude. There are species with horns, helmets, crests and bright colours. And there are a lot more species for me to see ;)

Peter, these pygmy chameleons are essentially ground dwelling but by night they climb into small bushes or saplings to avoid predation. Usually they stay below 1m but I did find one 5m high up in a tree! Also interesting is that we found pairs of chameleons sleeping close together on several occasions (for both Rhampholeon spec. and Nadzikambia).
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Peter Oefinger » Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:00 am

Pairs of Chameleons...interesting. Do they live in pairs? I think the European Chameleons do not?
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Ronald Zimmerman » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:43 pm

You never mentioned. But I do know that you love ketchup! :lol:

Bobby Bok wrote:My report is still in the making while I'm waiting for the expert mammal and bird photographs of my buddies.

As long as you don't ask for specific species I don't know who you mean by expert ;)

I am also working on my report. I will post Mount Mulanje first. The photos are almost done. :)
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Rémon ter Harmsel » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:21 pm

Great stuff Bobby, what's not to love about chameleons!
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Re: Did I mention I love chameleons?

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:11 am

Rémon ter Harmsel wrote:what's not to love about chameleons!

That! Right! There!
Give us more, Bob!
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