NHK's popular nature program "Darwin Has Come!" (General) will air a segment titled "Chameleons: Running Through Their Short Six Months of Life!" from 7:30 pm on October 12th. The program focuses on the Laborde's chameleon, a creature that lives in Madagascar, and closely follows its short, dedicated life, which lasts only six months from hatching to its death.
The African island of Madagascar is home to over 90 species of chameleons, including the Laborde's chameleon, the shortest-lived terrestrial vertebrate, with a lifespan of just six months after hatching.
The baby chameleons hatch from the eggs and grow rapidly by devouring prey. They reach adulthood in three months and enter the breeding season, a once-in-a-lifetime event. In the short time they have left, both males and females fight tooth and nail to find the perfect mate and produce offspring. What is the life of a chameleon like in a flash?