An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae)
The Eurasian eagle-owl (<i>Bubo bubo</i>) is a large, generalist predator widely distributed across Eurasia, including mainland Greece, where it occupies a broad range of habitats. Its diet is known to consist primarily of mammals and birds, with reptiles occasionally included. However,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Diversity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/5/333 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849327466043146240 |
|---|---|
| author | Apostolos Christopoulos Luca Cornacchia Christos Kotselis Yiannis G. Zevgolis |
| author_facet | Apostolos Christopoulos Luca Cornacchia Christos Kotselis Yiannis G. Zevgolis |
| author_sort | Apostolos Christopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Eurasian eagle-owl (<i>Bubo bubo</i>) is a large, generalist predator widely distributed across Eurasia, including mainland Greece, where it occupies a broad range of habitats. Its diet is known to consist primarily of mammals and birds, with reptiles occasionally included. However, to date, chameleons have not been documented among its prey. Here, we report the first confirmed case of <i>B. bubo</i> preying on an African chameleon (<i>Chamaeleo africanus</i>) in the western Peloponnese of southern Greece—a region where the two species occur in limited sympatry. <i>C. africanus</i>, native to North Africa and introduced to Greece since antiquity, is a diurnal, slow-moving, arboreal lizard with highly cryptic behavior and specialized anti-predator strategies. Despite these traits, our observation highlights its potential vulnerability to nocturnal avian predators. This rare predation event offers novel insights into the trophic ecology of <i>B. bubo</i> and raises important considerations for the conservation of <i>C. africanus</i>, a species listed as Critically Endangered in Greece and increasingly threatened by habitat loss, illegal collection, and road traffic collisions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-167bb73348634ff5ab622a6733e376e3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj-art-167bb73348634ff5ab622a6733e376e32025-08-20T03:47:52ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182025-05-0117533310.3390/d17050333An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae)Apostolos Christopoulos0Luca Cornacchia1Christos Kotselis2Yiannis G. Zevgolis3Department of Zoology and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, GreeceIndependent Researcher, 15771 Athens, GreeceIndependent Researcher, 10434 Athens, GreeceBiodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81132 Mytilene, GreeceThe Eurasian eagle-owl (<i>Bubo bubo</i>) is a large, generalist predator widely distributed across Eurasia, including mainland Greece, where it occupies a broad range of habitats. Its diet is known to consist primarily of mammals and birds, with reptiles occasionally included. However, to date, chameleons have not been documented among its prey. Here, we report the first confirmed case of <i>B. bubo</i> preying on an African chameleon (<i>Chamaeleo africanus</i>) in the western Peloponnese of southern Greece—a region where the two species occur in limited sympatry. <i>C. africanus</i>, native to North Africa and introduced to Greece since antiquity, is a diurnal, slow-moving, arboreal lizard with highly cryptic behavior and specialized anti-predator strategies. Despite these traits, our observation highlights its potential vulnerability to nocturnal avian predators. This rare predation event offers novel insights into the trophic ecology of <i>B. bubo</i> and raises important considerations for the conservation of <i>C. africanus</i>, a species listed as Critically Endangered in Greece and increasingly threatened by habitat loss, illegal collection, and road traffic collisions.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/5/333<i>Chamaeleo africanus</i>species interactionsGreeceStrigiformessympatric species |
| spellingShingle | Apostolos Christopoulos Luca Cornacchia Christos Kotselis Yiannis G. Zevgolis An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae) Diversity <i>Chamaeleo africanus</i> species interactions Greece Strigiformes sympatric species |
| title | An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae) |
| title_full | An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae) |
| title_fullStr | An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae) |
| title_short | An Exceptionally Rare Predation on a Chameleon Species (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) by a Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Aves: Strigidae) |
| title_sort | exceptionally rare predation on a chameleon species squamata chamaeleonidae by a eurasian eagle owl aves strigidae |
| topic | <i>Chamaeleo africanus</i> species interactions Greece Strigiformes sympatric species |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/5/333 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT apostoloschristopoulos anexceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT lucacornacchia anexceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT christoskotselis anexceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT yiannisgzevgolis anexceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT apostoloschristopoulos exceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT lucacornacchia exceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT christoskotselis exceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae AT yiannisgzevgolis exceptionallyrarepredationonachameleonspeciessquamatachamaeleonidaebyaeurasianeagleowlavesstrigidae |