Coarse Chameleon
Trioceros rudis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyChamaeleonidae (Chameleons)
- GenusTrioceros (Equatorial Chameleons)
- SpeciesTrioceros rudis (Coarse Chameleon)
The coarse chameleon (Trioceros rudis), also known as the rudis chameleon, Ruwenzori side-striped chameleon or the Rwenzori bearded chameleon, is a chameleon from western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo. Contrary to common belief, this species does not inhabit Mount Meru, Tanzania. Tanzania chameleons called T. rudis are in fact T. sternfeldi. This chameleon is often found in open habitats, inhabiting low bushes and shrubs (often described as 'patchy open country") in the transitional zones between grasslands, reedbeds and montane heath. T. rudis is small (10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in)) and lacks horns or occipital lobes. It has a long tail and a small crest. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Coarse Chameleon sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 68 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volcanoes National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 2 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Coarse Chameleon in Virunga National Park?
About 27% of wildlife watchers report a Coarse Chameleon sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 68 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Coarse Chameleon in Virunga National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Coarse Chameleon in Virunga National Park in our monthly data.