Animal vision: Seeing in all directions

Famous for their psychedelic colour changes and extraordinary eyes that can look in two different directions at once, chameleons are one of the strangest animals on Earth.

They are superbly adapted for a life among the trees. Their long, prehensile tails help them navigate the treetops and their feet, which are split into two ‘mittens’, give them excellent grip on even the smoothest of tree branches. Insects make up the bulk of their diet, which they snare using a ballistic launch of their extendable, sticky tongue. And then there is their extreme colour changing ability. It is clear that vision is crucial for almost every aspect of a chameleon’s life.