World's First Video Broadcast of the World's Smallest Chameleon

TV Asahi's science program "Miracle Earth Story" (Sundays at 6:30 PM, sponsored by Canon) will air a special Madagascar feature on January 12th to commemorate its 200th broadcast. This episode will feature the world's first ecological footage of the world's smallest chameleon, measuring approximately 2 centimeters in length.

 

The program uses cutting-edge science to unravel the world's mysteries, from ancient enigmas to everyday curiosities. This special delves into the unique evolutionary mysteries of Madagascar, where 80% of its living creatures are endemic species.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), 615 new species were discovered in Madagascar over the decade starting in 1999, and new species continue to be found today. The discovery of this new chameleon species (Brochesia micra) was announced in 2012, but video footage had never been captured until now. This time, actor Masashi Goda and others succeeded in filming the elusive chameleon alive in the forests of Nosy Hara Island, an uninhabited island 10 kilometers off the northern coast of Madagascar. The footage clearly shows the chameleon's body color changing distinctly, a sight rarely witnessed even locally.