Meet Titch: Whipsnade Zoo's latest arrival is a tiny panther chameleon

A little lizard nicknamed Titch has hatched at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.

Staff are not yet sure whether the tiny panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) is a male or a female.

Team leader Alex Cliffe said: “This intricate, tiny creature is a wonderful addition to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. They are doing very well, snacking on fruit flies and exploring their environment.” 

Titch can currently change its hue from dark brown to light brown at night-time, but within the next few months, will develop its famous colour-changing properties that allow it to become an explosion of kaleidoscopic colour, like its parents. 

Alex Cliffe added: “People think that chameleons change colour for camouflage, and while that is sometimes true, the primary role of their incredible colour-changing ability is associated with social signalling and communication, or as a response to changes in their environment, like temperature or humidity.” 

Titch was the first egg to hatch, and staff at Whipsnade are hoping more brothers and sisters will arrive soon.