Madagascar: Palmarium Reserve – Nofy Leaf Chameleons

In the late 2023, several biologists saw a couple tourists’ blurry pictures of “small strange white lizards” taken at the Palmarium Reserve. When they arrived in early 2024 to check them out, they discovered a brand new species of a small chameleon. By July 2024, just a few months ago, it’s was finally described and named as a brand new species – Brookesia nofy, or the Nofy leaf chameleon. The chameleon is super small, only around an inch long, they mostly live on the ground and come out after rain. They have bumps along their bodies, a U-shaped ridge on their head and a short tail. Like other chameleons, the new species can change color. When relaxed, Nofy leaf chameleons are light brown with darker brown spots scattered across their body, and they tails are a distinctly lighter color, and their eyes are golden.When stressed, the chameleon’s body and eyes become almost black. If it wasn’t for our guide in the forest, we would never see these tiny guys on the ground – but on a closer look, it’s an amazing miniaturized chameleon!