Furcifer pardalis
In 3 days >90%
The panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. Additionally, it has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius, as well as the state of Florida within the United States.
The panther chameleon was first described by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1829. Its generic name (Furcifer) is derived from the Latin root furci meaning "forked" and refers to the shape of the animal's feet. The specific name pardalis refers to the animals' markings, as it is Latin for "leopard" or "spotted like a panther". The English word chameleon (also chamaeleon) derives from Latin chamaeleō, a borrowing of the Ancient Greek χαμαιλέων (khamailéōn), a compound of χαμαί (khamaí) "on the ground" and λέων (léōn) "lion". The Greek word is a calque translating the Akkadian nēš qaqqari, "ground lion".
Although currently regarded as a single widespread and variably-colored species, evidence from genetics and captive breeding indicates that it possibly should be split into several different species. Panther chameleons grow 16-20" (40–51 cm) long, with females typically being smaller...
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Montagne d'Ambre National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moscow Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 2 | Pairi Daiza | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 3 | ZooParc de Beauval | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Copenhagen Zoo | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 5 | Skansen | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 6 | Dublin Zoo | 🇮🇪 Ireland | |
| 7 | Zürich Zoo | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | |
| 8 | Aquarium of Genoa | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 9 | Nausicaà Centre National de la Mer | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 10 | Oceanarium in Saint Petersburg | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 11 | Paris Zoological Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 12 | Muséum de Besançon | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 13 | Abilene Zoological Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Aquarium du palais de la Porte Dorée | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 15 | Minnesota Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Safari Madrid | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 17 | Milwaukee County Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Nuremberg Zoo | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 19 | Tiergarten Am Tiergarten 28 in Nürnberg | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 20 | Dallas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 22 | Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 23 | Parco Natura Viva | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 24 | Louisville Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 25 | Ukumarí Biopark | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 26 | Kyiv Zoo | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 27 | Berlin Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 28 | Terra Natura Benidorm | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 29 | Wrocław Zoological Garden | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 30 | Calgary Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 31 | Paignton Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 32 | Oregon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 33 | Memphis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 34 | Houston Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 35 | Zoo Opole | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 36 | San Antonio Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 37 | Tierpark Hagenbeck | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 38 | Cologne Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 39 | Philadelphia Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 40 | Wanpi World Zoo | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 41 | Łódź Zoo | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 42 | Zoom di Cumiana | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 43 | Krakow Zoo | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 44 | London Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 45 | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 46 | bioparco | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 47 | Zoo Neuwied | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 48 | John Ball Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 49 | Valencia Bioparc | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 50 | Biotropica | 🇫🇷 France |
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Panther Chameleon sighting in Ankarana National Park on a given day, based on 62 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 12 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August to October
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Panther Chameleon in Ankarana National Park on a given day, against about 50% in November, the lowest month. Those are among Ankarana National Park's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 460 mm in January. January to March have too few records to rate.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Panther Chameleon sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Panther Chameleon sightings, Ankarana National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Montagne d'Ambre National Park (Madagascar, about 70%).
Same genus: Furcifer
The closest relatives of the Panther Chameleon that you can see in Ankarana National Park (genus Furcifer, Fork-footed Chameleons) are Oustalet's Giant Chameleon (about 80%) and Petter's Chameleon (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Panther Chameleon is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Ankarana National Park (62 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
