About Furcifer balteatus (Duméril & Bibron, 1851)
Though Furcifer balteatus is basically green, its colour can vary widely, and this colouration provides good camouflage in its arboreal habitat. It often has darker green diagonal stripes, with paler bands between these stripes, and usually has a distinct buff-coloured diagonal streak. Its body can reach up to 24 cm (9 in) in length, and the tail is at least as long as the body. Males have a pair of 1.5 cm (0.6 in) long horny projections on their heads. This species is commonly known as the two-banded chameleon or the rainforest chameleon. Furcifer balteatus is endemic to southeast Madagascar. It occurs in Ranomafana, where the average temperature ranges between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius (57 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit), and annual rainfall is roughly 4,000 millimetres (160 inches). The total area it occupies is estimated at 1,971 square kilometres (761 square miles), and it has a patchy distribution. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has recorded that this species' population is decreasing. Most sightings of Furcifer balteatus are from elevations between 800 and 1,050 metres (2,620 and 3,440 ft) above sea level, though some individuals have been found at lower altitudes. This is a rare species, and most sightings have been of single individuals. Some surveys have not found any members of the species, and the IUCN has ranked it as Endangered. The main threat to this species is the degradation of its forest habitat. Furcifer balteatus is a CITES-listed species, and exports from Madagascar have been banned since 1994. Even with this ban, the species is considered highly desirable in the pet trade, and illegal exports remain an additional threat.
