Trioceros ellioti
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey (from a photograph by Frank Glaw, Jörn Köhler, Ted M. Townsend & Miguel Vences) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
Trioceros ellioti, also known commonly as Elliot's chameleon, Elliot's groove-throated chameleon, and the montane side-striped chameleon, is a species of lizard in the family Chamaeleonidae. The species is indigenous to Africa.
The specific name, ellioti, is in honor of British botanist George Francis Scott Elliot. T. ellioti is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The preferred natural habitats of T. ellioti include forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland, at altitudes of 1,200–1,800 m (3,900–5,900 ft). It has also been found in disturbed areas such as plantations, gardens, and open fields.
The mode of reproduction of T. ellioti has been described as viviparous and as ovoviviparous. de Witte G-F (1922). "Description de reptiles nouveaux du Congo Belge". Revue de Zoologie Africaine 10 (2): 66–71 + Plates I–II. ("Chamaeleon Bequaerti ", new species, pp. 69–70 + Plate II, figure 1). (in French).
Günther A (1895). "Notice of Reptiles and Batrachians collected in the Eastern Half of Tropical Africa". Annals and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kigali | 🇷🇼 Rwanda |
No species of the same family or order lives in Kibale National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Montane side-striped chameleon sighting in Kibale National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Montane side-striped chameleon in Kibale National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, June and September, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Montane side-striped chameleon sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Montane side-striped chameleon sightings, Kibale National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda, about 30%) and Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Montane side-striped chameleon is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kibale National Park (12 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.
