Plans to milk millions from chameleons

By Grace Wekesa

Plans are underway to establish a farm in Kakamega County to train people how to rear chameleons for export.

According to Prof Owen Sumbu, a reptile consultant, the decision to start Buyangu Chameleon Farm was prompted by the increased demand for reptiles in Europe, United States of America and Asia.

He affirmed that one chameleon would fetch USD$25 (almost Sh 2000) adding that there is market for chameleons in those countries. Prof Sumbu urged Kenyans to try the new challenge noting that it’s a lucrative business.

World market

“Reptiles are popular in the world market and Kenyans should not be left out in this business,’’ said Prof Sumbu.

Some environmentalists argue that instead of using chemicals to kill notorious insects, chameleon can be kept in the compound to eat them.

He said people start chameleon farms but lack the knowledge on how to rear them. Prof Sumbu advised farmers to breed the reptiles in captivity saying it’s the best mode as it prevents internal and external parasites.

He added that chameleons cannot survive for a long period if they are stressed and confined in a small area. They need liberty and a big space for survival.

Not harmful

Sumbu reiterated that chameleons are harmless and pointed out that they will roll out an outreach programme for schools to teach children the importance of chameleons in particular and other reptiles in our ecosystem because of the demand.

“A times I wonder why people are scared of chameleons, they are harmless,” he said.

Vincent Shimoli, manager of the proposed farm said it will cost them Sh4 million to set up the farm. He said chameleons appear to be valueless creatures in the country because of their scary looks but people in the outside world want to keep them as pets.

Mr Shimoli asserted that once the farm is built, communities will be trained to rear reptiles and Kenya will be exporting 5,000 chameleons annually to earn Sh8.5 million.

“Kenyans will reap big from chameleons once the farm is established. I encourage farmers to utilise this opportunity to better their lives,” He explained.

Similar objectives

Mr Shimoli said in addition to technical advice from scientists, they will seek cooperation from relevant government ministries and other organisations which have similar objectives to make the project succeed.

The Buyangu farm, which will host both chameleons and butterflies, will be run by Buyangu Community, a conservation self help group.

The initiative comes a month after Robert Muasya, assistant director Kenya Wildlife Service said his organisation was willing to help communities living near government forests benefit from the fauna and flora of the forests.

Rich biodiversity

He said KWS was willing to allow communities to tame snakes and other reptiles under emerging livestock programme to conserve the forest and their rich biodiversity.

Also the Government plans to help the communities venture into the carbon trading market.

The sentiments by the three officials is a departure from the previous government which restricted Kenyans from taming wild animals except a few selected people, mostly Europeans.

Following relaxation of the new laws on wildlife, there has been great interest from Kenyans to seek license to tame snakes and other reptiles for export and research work with one farmer in Baringo venturing into the lucrative venom extraction market.

Export of captive bred reptiles is likely to be a new brand of exports from Kenya to the international market to boost earnings from the country’s traditional exports of coffee, tea, pyrethrum and flowers.

Mr. Shimoli affirmed that officials and experts of Buyangu chameleon farm will embark on an education programme to sensitize local people and Kenyans in general that chameleons are harmless animals and useful to the country.

Currently, many Kenyans fear and shun chameleons for their rough bodies and pinching legs. Traditionally, people associated chameleons with witchcraft while others claim they are poisonous.

‘’Our objective therefore will be to educate the general public the role of chameleons in the wider scope of ecology and necessity for conservation and assist educational institutions with accurate information about chameleons so that they don’t destroy simply because they are chameleons,’’ he said.

He stated that they will strive to allay superstitions on chameleons by providing accurate facts about them.

In a report prepared by Buyangu farm, Sumbu asserts that chameleons are distinctive and highly specialized species of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot like zygodactyleous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic tongues, and their swaying gait, the possession by many of a prehensile tail, crests or horns on their distinctively shape and the ability of some to change colour.

Sumbu says there are approximately 160 species of chameleons although they vary from rain forests to desert conditions.

In Kenya, there are two varieties of chameleon: chameleon and brookesia whose species number to ten. Chameleons are among the most solitary lizards.

The chameleon a two horned chameleon is generally found in all attitudes from Coast to Mt Kenya. Kakamega forest has a variety that has evolved into sub-species slightly different from West Africa because of the isolation of tropical rain forest on ecology and the behavior of the chameleon.

He says according to Gary Ferguson a researcher who has moved widely in the country studying chameleons Jacksons chameleon, chameleons’ cannot be bred in boxes they need an area large enough for their freedom.

Jackson’s chameleons do not lay eggs but gives birth to young ones therefore they don’t require nests.