Presentation in Frankfurt about Ethiopia

Presentation in Frankfurt about Ethiopia

by Alex Negro Reiseberichte Live lectures Science

On Friday, 26 September 2025, herpetologist Dr Arthur Tiutenko from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg will give a lecture accompanied by numerous images about a very special forest in Ethiopia.

The Harenna Forest, which stretches along the southern slopes of the Bale Mountains in southern Ethiopia, is one of the last remaining forest areas in the Horn of Africa and the largest remaining rainforest on the African mainland. It is not only home to Arabica coffee, but also to numerous other endemic plant and animal species, many of which have not yet been scientifically discovered and described. The herpetofauna of the Harenna Forest includes more than 40 species, including the two large Ethiopian vipers – Bitis harenna and Bitis parviocula. The habitats of these animals and the entire ecosystem are being destroyed by overpopulation and increasing economic exploitation. Even the future of the officially protected parts of the forest looks bleak. This makes it all the more important to gain knowledge about the species that still live in the forest before it is too late. Arthur Tiutenko has explored the Harenna Forest in ten expeditions, the results of which he reports on in this lecture.

Dr. Arthur Tiutenko Harenna Forest, Ethiopia – 12 years of expeditions into the last rainforest in the Horn of Africa [German]
DGHT Stadtgruppe Frankfurt
Zoo school of Zoo Frankfurt
Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1
60316 Frankfurt am Main
Lecture begins at 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. via the exit gate at the main entrance on Alfred-Brehm-Platz (gate between the zoo shop and the zoo society building).

Photo: Trioceros balebicornutus, photographed by Arthur Tiutenko on one of his travels

Presentation in Bavaria about chameleons

Presentation in Bavaria about chameleons

by Alex Negro Haltungsberichte Reiseberichte Live lectures

Long-standing AG member Nicolá Lutzmann from Heidelberg will give an interesting lecture on chameleons on Saturday, 20 September 2025. In this lecture, he will report on adventurous chameleon observations in the wild, as well as on the species-appropriate keeping of these highly specialised lizards in terrariums. These fascinating reptiles are known for their unique ability to change colour, their independently movable eyes and their lightning-fast forked tongue, which they use to catch insects.

Dr. Nicolá Lutzmann Chameleons: Outdoor observations and keeping them in a terrarium [German]
DGHT regional group lower Bavaria
Restaurant Aurora
Klausenweg 15
84152 Mengkofen
Lecture begins at 8 p.m., dinner together from 6.30 p.m.

Presentation in Hamburg about Madagascar’s chameleons

Presentation in Hamburg about Madagascar’s chameleons

by Alex Negro Reiseberichte Live lectures

Lars Dwinger, member of the Chameleon Working Group, will give a detailed presentation on his trip to Madagascar this year on Saturday, 6 September 2025.

Together with the Tanalahorizon team and herpetologist Dr. Frank Glaw, he set off for north-eastern Madagascar. The team spent a whole week in the mountain rainforest of Marojejy to find, document and – thanks to permits – also collect undescribed chameleon species. A fantastic experience with numerous unexpected highlights! Following this sweat-inducing but, as far as chameleons are concerned, very successful expedition, the team headed to the lowland rainforest of Bobangira, right on the Indian Ocean. This part of the island is practically unexplored due to its poor accessibility – as the lecture clearly illustrates – and is home to a large number of snakes and other undescribed chameleons. But it’s not just chameleon lovers who will get their money’s worth at this lecture; other reptiles and amphibians are also shown in numerous fantastic photos.

Lars Dwinger The summit of Marojejy and the gallery forest of Bobangira – two virtually unexplored herping paradises [German]
50th Jubilee and VDA regional day
Ganztagszentrum
Am Markt 2
22941 Bargteheide
Presentation begins at 2 p.m.

Picture: Palleon lolontany, photographed by Markus Bartels on this very trip

First certificate of competence with a focus on chameleons

First certificate of competence with a focus on chameleons

by Alex Negro Sachkundenachweis

As our conference participants already know, this year for the first time the VDA-/DGHT-Sachkundezentrum Ost is offering the opportunity to take a certificate of competence with a focus on chameleons. This is the certificate of competence according to §11 TschG in Germany, which every professional or commercial keeper must take; private keepers can take it voluntarily and thus prove their knowledge. Incidentally, the definiton of commercial can also quickly apply to private keepers who have a certain number of offspring per year or a certain turnover through the sale of offspring. The first focus training course on chameleons will take place in Berlin from October 10 to 12, 2025. Registration is possible here by e-mail.

Presentation in Hamburg about Madagascar’s chameleons

Presentation in Hamburg about Madagascar’s chameleons

by Alex Negro Reiseberichte Live lectures

If that’s not an exciting and highly interesting start to the new lecture year! On Friday 10 January 2025, Falk Eckhardt, a long-standing member of the Chameleons Working Group, will be giving a detailed talk on the chameleons of Madagascar.

Hardly any other lizard family is as well known as the chameleons. This is mainly due to their many special features, such as their independently movable eyes, rapid colour change, sling tongue, pincer-like feet and prehensile tail. Madagascar is considered the centre of species diversity in this family. Almost half of all chameleon species, including the world’s smallest and largest species, live on this island. There are currently around 100 species on Madagascar, divided into four genera. Representatives of the two original genera Brookesia and Palleon are predominantly small, brownish in colour and usually stay close to the ground. Their ability to change colour is limited and their tail is rather short. The two other genera Calumma and Furcifer, on the other hand, show all the classic characteristics of the ‘typical’ chameleon.

In his lecture, Falk will discuss the distribution and lifestyle of Madagascan chameleons. Special attention will also be paid to the short lifespan of some species, which Falk has also worked with professionally over a longer period of time. The importance of chameleons in Malagasy culture will also be discussed. That really sounds like a wonderful chameleon evening!

Falk Eckhardt Madagascar’s chameleons [German]
DGHT regional group Hamburg
Clubhouse “Am Sportplatzring”
Sportplatzring 47
22527 Hamburg
Presentation starts at 8.00 p.m.

Picture: Furcifer labordi female, photographed by the presenter

Presentation in Dortmund about chameleons

Presentation in Dortmund about chameleons

by Alex Negro Reiseberichte Live lectures

Wolfgang Schmidt, long-time member of the AG Chameleons, will give a detailed lecture on chameleons in Bergkamen on 01 November 2024. Wolfgang has already kept and successfully propagated a large number of chameleon species at home. He has also been travelling with his wife to the various habitats of chameleons for years, be it in South Africa, Socotra or Saudi Arabia. It is sure to be an exciting and colourful talk, just the thing for chameleon lovers!

Wolfgang Schmidt Observations of chameleons in the wild and in the terrarium [German]
DGHT city group Dortmund
Restaurant Olympia
Im Alten Dorf 2
59192 Bergkamen
Meeting from 5.30 p.m.
Presentation starts at 7.30 p.m.