Good Intentions Terribly Executed 

 The Meaningless Brutal Death of 5 Namaqua Chameleons

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." The Holy Bible,  Gospel of Luke 23:34 (NIV).

In October 2020, a friend of mine, Tomas Bublik, took a trip across South Africa. During his journey, he also visited Lüderitz, Namibia, where he stayed overnight in a luxurious German-run lodge.

He was shocked and recorded the enclosed video. In a few-gallon aquarium, equipped with dry sand, rocks, and a pot with a succulent plant covered by a rough iron mesh, he found something that raised both his blood pressure and mine. There was a well-meaning plaque on the side of the aquarium stating that chameleons might cross the road from early morning until sunset, and drivers should be mindful of that.

However, the horror was inside the aquarium, where he discovered five adult specimens of the rare, magnificent, and highly protected desert chameleon, Chamaeleo namaquensis, all dead. They had obviously starved to death, left in the place where they took their last breaths. Their bodies decayed in their own fluids and dried out in the hot climate, becoming pitiful mummies. The intentions of the person responsible for this act of cruelty are highly questionable.

These endangered chameleons are protected by law, both in Namibia and internationally; some even have tracking chips. The legality of collecting these five specimens is dubious at best. Why they were tortured to death and subsequently left in the cage for tourists to witness this horrifying scene is truly alarming and incomprehensible.