Chameleon walking on a plant, Indonesia

© SnapRapid/Offset by Shutterstoc

Does this chameleon look worried?. Blending in on Reptile Awareness Day

If it appears to be slinking away from the camera, maybe this chameleon is all too aware of the way some of us humans feel about reptiles. We know you die-hard reptile lovers are out there too, but for many, their reputation has taken a hit thanks to popular villainous depictions - from Anaconda and Godzilla to the serpent encountered by Adam and Eve. Even our everyday language throws shade on this vast class of creatures: When is the last time you called someone a reptile, in a nice way?

Reptile Awareness Day seeks to repair their reputation and ambassadors like this cute chameleon from Indonesia are leading the charge. We won't say it wouldn't hurt a fly - with its independently moving eyes and lightning-fast tongue, it is well equipped to do so. But with their colour-changing abilities and gentle demeanour (with humans), chameleons have admirers even among the reptile-averse.