Project
A team of Malagasy conservationists supported by the Conservation Leadership Programme has found the critically endangered Belalanda chameleon – one of the world’s rarest reptiles – in a location from where it has never previously been recorded.
Chameleons are famous for their extraordinary ability to blend in with their surroundings, but that’s not the only reason they’re hard to spot. In many cases, it’s their dwindling numbers and sheer rarity rather than cryptic camouflage that make them difficult to find, even for eagle-eyed predators.
And in south-west Madagascar, a chameleon hotspot, their disappearing act is in danger of becoming permanent. These species and the dry spiny forest ecosystem on which they depend face a range of existential threats including rampant deforestation, habitat fragmentation, urban expansion, wildfires, small-scale mining, unsustainable harvesting of forest products and climate change.
Localised lizard
The plight of the Belalanda chameleon is a prime example of the crisis these creatures are facing. Named after the rural commune to which its entire global population is confined, this elusive, endemic reptile has one of the most restricted ranges of any animal in the world. The vast majority of its natural forest habitat has already been destroyed and the species is now clinging to survival in a tiny haven comprising non-native forest and a few remaining mature native trees.
In this context, the discovery of these chameleons a few kilometres from Belalanda provides a real boost for the survival prospects of this beleaguered lizard. The precious find was located following interviews with the local community as part of the team’s efforts to gather data on the distribution and status of the various chameleon species found in the area covered by the project.
Habitat of the Belalanda chameleon. © Hajaniaina Rasoloarison
Searching for survivors
A collaborative effort is now under way to help locate and protect any remaining individuals, harnessing the local knowledge of the communities around Belalanda and the nearby Fiherena River. According to Hajaniaina Rasoloarison, leader of the award-winning team, it is too early to speculate about exactly how many Belalanda chameleons may still survive in the wild, but they hope to be in a position to estimate population density by the end of the project.
Haja was understandably thrilled by the discovery: “The Belalanda chameleon was first described in 1970. As of 2025, it is listed among the most critically endangered species worldwide due to severe habitat loss. This species has one of the smallest known distributions of any land vertebrate. Despite growing concerns, very limited information has been collected in the past two decades about its ecological requirements and habitat range. Worryingly, no individuals had been recorded in the species’ native habitat since November 2024. This finding brings a glimmer of hope for the conservation of this rare and unique species.”
Four decades of impact
The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP), a partnership comprising Fauna & Flora, BirdLife International and the Wildlife Conservation Society, celebrates its 40th anniversary later this year. Throughout the past four decades, CLP has been at the forefront of efforts to identify, support and nurture some of the most talented and promising early-career conservationists in the world – individuals who represent the future of global conservation. The pioneering work of Haja and his team is just the latest in a long and continuing series of conservation breakthroughs achieved with CLP support.
Nature is extraordinary
The sheer variety of life on Earth is remarkable – and it’s what makes the world go round. Please support our efforts to safeguard the species on which the health of our planet depends.
Join usDiego's baobab, Madagascar. © Madagasikara Voakajy
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