
Giants of the Usambaras
1 year ago
Giant three-horn chameleons (Chamaeleo [T.] deremensis) are one of Africa's largest and most spectacular species of chameleons. Inhabiting East Africa's Usambara mountains, where the high altitude provides cool temperatures, lush vegetation, and an almost constant humidity, the giant three-horn chameleon, as many other species in similarly delicate environments, is threatened by habitat destruction, pollution and climate change, and over-collection for the trade.
As one of the most evolutionarily-advanced chameleons in the world, the giant three-horn is a master of survival. The reproductive behavior of these magnificent creatures is not completely known, but females of this species may deposit their eggs in earth cavities previously dug by other animals, making the replication of such conditions difficult in captivity.
The hatching sequence in this video shows, in two minutes, the birth of 24 neonates-- a process that lasted, from the first animal to slit the egg to the last one's emergence, more than 24 hours. Unlike other species of chameleons, whose incubation may last from 6-23 months, depending on the species, this particular group of eggs underwent artificial incubation for a total of 116 days.
As one of the most evolutionarily-advanced chameleons in the world, the giant three-horn is a master of survival. The reproductive behavior of these magnificent creatures is not completely known, but females of this species may deposit their eggs in earth cavities previously dug by other animals, making the replication of such conditions difficult in captivity.
The hatching sequence in this video shows, in two minutes, the birth of 24 neonates-- a process that lasted, from the first animal to slit the egg to the last one's emergence, more than 24 hours. Unlike other species of chameleons, whose incubation may last from 6-23 months, depending on the species, this particular group of eggs underwent artificial incubation for a total of 116 days.
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Thanks for the note-- glad you like it! Cheers!
although I would like to hear different music. at least something that isn't from Planet Earth :)
But no worries, I'll make it up to ya!
I am amazed, it's fabulous.
Glad you liked the Giants!
which camera and lens do you use ? also I like your ligting set up,
alkim.
I use a Canon XHA1. The lighting for this piece was actually quite minimal as I had to rely solely on a single incandescent spot over the eggs-- anything brighter would stress them out. They generally sit virtually motionless for up to several hours after slitting the egg as they absorb any remaining yolk, and they are quite receptive to any changes in lux during that time, even if they have their eyes closed. This was manifested by their changing to darker shades as soon as I added more light sources. You can actually see one which remained dark throughout the whole hatching sequence (at 1:15 on the left side).
Cheers
You're very kind.
Thank you for the note. These guys were in incubation for over three months, and they took me by surprise when they began to hatch, so I didn't have much of a chance to put together a sophisticated setup. As soon as I noticed they were slitting the eggs, I grabbed a couple of small desk lamps and placed them right above them-- although I immediately noticed that they were stressed by the intensity of the light. So, in the end, it was just a single incandescent bulb and some grading in post, which created lots of nasty artifacts, but these guys are relatively rare as captive-born, so I'm just glad I was able to document it.
So great that you enjoyed it... Cheers!