Zoo's New Trio of Baby Chameleons Are so Small They Can Fit on Your Fingertip

It’s a full house at Chester Zoo‘s chameleon exhibit.

The zoo recently welcomed three Cameroon two-horned mountain chameleon babies, but don’t worry — they don’t take up too much space.  

Each of the little lizards is only 5 cm. in length, tiny enough to fit on a human fingertip.

This is the first time the Cameroon two-horned chameleon has been successfully bred at the English zoo, leaving keepers “thrilled.”

The babies and their mom, Ruby, are part of a threatened species, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, because of habitat loss.

“Another big threat to their survival is the international pet trade. Thousands of live chameleons have been taken from the wild and traded from Cameroon in the last dozen years.” Dr, Gerardo Garcia, Curator of Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates at the zoo, said in a statement. 

Outside of the zoo, these rare chameleons are found in the highlands of Cameroon.

These itty-bitty babies will eventually grow into their giant eyes, expanding to be 20 to 25 cm. in length once they reach maturity. The males will also grow two large horns above their upper jaw, hence the chameleon’s name.

For now, there are trying out their colors, transitioning from bright turquoise to a dark green as they see fit.