Hidden in Plain Sight: Discovering Namoroka’s Tiny Chameleons
By Falina Razafimamonjy and Masoandro Andrianirina
The team (left to right): Falina, Laboto, Justin, and Masoandro.
The first time we arrived in Namoroka was in October 2024. The forest felt vast, quiet, and full of secrets. Masoandro began leading our Brookesia field surveys, and day after day we moved from one site to another, walking kilometers of transects.
At night, we carefully scanned branches and leaves with our headlamps, hoping to spot even the smallest sign of life. During the day, our eyes stayed low, fixed on the forest floor. Searching for Brookesia (the scientific genus for leaf chameleons) felt like looking for a needle in a haystack. Their tiny bodies blend perfectly with dead leaves and branches, making them almost invisible. After an entire month of searching, we had not found a single individual. Still, we did not give up.
the moment everything changed
In November, we returned with the same patience and determination. Just days before our next survey, the first rains arrived, marking the beginning of the wet season in Madagascar’s typically arid northwest. The forest began to awaken, turning green once again. Around that time, one of our local guides reported seeing an aye-aye in the Mahitsihazo forest, about a 90-minute hike from our camp. Intrigued, we decided to investigate early the next morning.
Masoandro searching for leaf chameleons.
Not far into the forest, we noticed a strange mark on a tree: a feeding trace. This strongly suggested an aye-aye had been there. Encouraged, we continued. Then something unexpected caught our attention: a beautiful Langaha (Madagascar leaf-nosed snake) resting above us. We paused to admire its delicate shape and remarkable camouflage. But Masoandro, trained by weeks of Brookesia surveys, kept his focus low. Suddenly, he noticed something fall to the ground, something that looked exactly like a dead leaf… except it moved. He picked it up. For a brief moment, everything was silent. Then his face lit up, eyes sparkling, a wide smile forming.
“Brookesia,” he said.
Namoroka leaf chameleons!
We could hardly believe it. After weeks of searching, we had finally found one. The joy was overwhelming. We celebrated like football players scoring the winning goal in a final: laughing, hugging, and sharing a moment we will never forget. And it did not stop there. Soon after, we found a second individual. Then one of our guides discovered a third. Three individuals, three goals. Victory at last.
inspiring the next generation
Before we began our community outreach, many children in the local community saw chameleons as strange or even frightening creatures. Some had never really looked at them closely; others played with them without understanding them. What surprised us most was this: while many children could describe how chameleons change color, none knew how many species lived in their forest, or that tiny leaf chameleons even existed. We wanted to change that.
The schoolchildren in the nearby village of Vilanandro learning about chameleon diversity.
International Chameleon Day became more than just a celebration; it became an opportunity. In addition to using materials developed by Wildlife Madagascar, we created a poster featuring the six chameleon species found in Namoroka. Our team visited the school multiple times before the event, sharing photos and teaching everything from basic anatomy to behavior and ecology. We even organized games to make learning fun and memorable. At first, it might seem unusual to teach detailed chameleon biology in a primary school in Madagascar. But for the children, it opened a window into a hidden world right in their own backyard. With each visit, their curiosity grew.
On May 9th, when International Chameleon Day finally arrived, the energy was incredible. Even students we had not previously worked with quickly became engaged and curious. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, laughter, and discovery. And something had clearly changed. The children were no longer afraid of chameleons. Instead, they began to see them as special, just like lemurs. They proudly recognized the species they had learned about and eagerly shared their knowledge with others. Although none of them had ever seen a Brookesia in real life, they now know these tiny chameleons exist in their forest. That knowledge sparked something powerful: curiosity and hope.
Namoroka is home to six species of chameleons. The children encounter three of them in their daily lives. The other three, especially the leaf chameleons, remain hidden in the nearby forests. Now, the children dream of seeing them one day. And perhaps, with this growing sense of wonder, one day they will.
The children showing off their own interpretations of chameleons.