acrylic on illustration board 18” x 24” $8,400 Isolated since
the Cretaceous, the island of Madagascar is famous for its unique
flora and fauna, much of which has diminished or been extirpated
as humans altered the landscape. One of the few beneficiaries
of this change is the Oustalet's Chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti),
a species that can exceed 680mm in length, longer than any other
member of the family. Long and lean, it's an active species whose
tongue can snatch small reptiles, mammals and birds along with
large insects. In the trees it moves in typical chameleon fashion,
but on the ground it can run quite quickly, in a fashion I've
seen in no other species. Incidental species include Humans (Homo
sapiens), Madagascan Brown Bat (Neoromicia matroka),
Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Chicken (Gallus gallus),
Red Fody (Foudia madagascariensis) and Lined Day Gecko
(Phelsuma lineatus). |
