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Biology
Chameleon lives in tree-like vegetation and is a reptile that adapts to warm climates. As heterothermal animals, they are active in the hot seasons, while remaining in the shrubs for the rest of the year and are much less active or less active.

The characteristic of chameleon is that it changes colors, which it serves as a camouflage, as a body temperature regulator and as a means of communication between the species. It feeds on insects that catch with its long and sticky tongue.
Its breeding season begins in August where males and females leave their area in search of a mate. Mating is done during the summer.

Females begin to lay their eggs (30-40 on average) in autumn on the sandy areas of the area.

Incubation in the sand lasts 11 months. Thus chicks hatch the following summer. The size at the hatch is 6cm and before it starts the winter will double it. Then they will stop growing until the next Spring when they will resume feeding. After winter hibernation their size will reach 37cm, size that makes them ready for the first play.

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The Pylos area is the only region of Europe where the African Chameleon lives.

With a special permit and in cooperation with research institutes, a systematic study and protection program of the species and information of the inhabitants about the importance of its existence in the region is developing in 1998.

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Chameleons in Europe are located in the South Iberian Peninsula, Malta, Cyprus and Greek islands with the only population in mainland Greece in Pylos.

Chameleons of Pylos were first reported and described in 1989 (Boehme 1989) in the Chameleon chameleon taxonomy.

It was only in 1998 that it was recognized as belonging to a second species, African chameleon (Chamaeleo africanus, Boehme et al 1998) which is found in Europe only in Pylos.

The size of the species can reach 47.5 cm (total length), much larger than the European chameleon reaching 29 cm in the Iberian peninsula.

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Chameleon is a slow moving animal with a predator predator ability to change colors according to the surrounding environment. The animal is very vulnerable when it is on the ground because it is easily perceived by predators as it can not be hidden.

Its natural enemies are foxes, ferrets, ferrets, snakes and birds of prey. Its most dangerous enemies are cats, dogs and humans.

Anthropogenic pressures:

The uncontrolled passage on the beach is one of the anthropogenic pressures that the chameleon's habitat enters. The destruction of the nests themselves by squeezing the egg chamber from the 4x4 or rural vehicles and the destruction of coastal vegetation have direct negative effects on the survival of the species.

The growing tourist traffic in the area, combined with the lack of a visitor management plan, is a major threat to the future protection of the biotope.

Man also causes great damage to the chameleon's habitat by turning it into farmland. The machines they use for the outfit kill many chickens living on the tall grass and destroy the few nests that have been made in the fields. The use of pesticides, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. is very widespread in the area, leading to the risk that these harmful substances will be stored in the chameleon's organism by feeding them insects.

Finally, the smuggling of rare species, which has led many animals to the brink of extinction, is also a threat to the African Chameleon.

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The nesting season starts from mid September and lasts until the end of October. The action involves scanning the nesting area, locating the females during nesting, and protecting the nests from potential predators by placing a metal mesh that covers the egg chamber and is well buried in the sand.

Each nest is numbered and mapped. So we know how many nests are made each year, exactly where they are, and what is the distribution of the population within the space.

Biotope enclosure, ban on passage of wheeled vehicles
One of the pressures on the biotope, especially the breeding and nesting area, is the passage of wheeled vehicles, especially during the summer period when the visit to the area is increasing due to summer holidays.

Unfortunately, the same beach, which is the nesting site of the species, is one of the main tourist destinations in Gialova.

Walking on the beach destroys low coastal vital vegetation during breeding, which offers protection either to hide the female or to hatch the chicks from potential predators.

In addition, passing a wheeled over a nest, compresses the sand and creates suffocating conditions in the egg chamber, with the result that hatched hatcheries can not find a way out and die in the nests.
The wooden enclosure constructed in 1999 by the LIFE program was designed to protect the dams and the chameleon nests from passing through wheeled vehicles.

If and where there are continual wear and tear, whether natural or intentional, it is repaired every year to the extent that it is economically feasible by the HOC.

In 2007 the Kalamata Forestry Office contributed to this effort, which either grants or provides for the collection of timber at a low price from Taygetos.
Buckling speed construction
In 2008, they were built in cooperation with the Municipality of Pylos, speeding down the coastal road that crosses the habamete of the chameleon.

Animal mortality from the increased speed and dense passage of wheeled animals reaches 10-15% of the total animal population.

This measure will help reduce accidents and raise awareness of the world when it enters the protected area.