Faster Than a Jet: Chameleon Tongue

How does a chameleon’s tongue help them hunt? Museum educator Jason describes how a chameleon’s tongue is twice the length of their body, has a sticky pad on its tip, and shoots out of its mouth like a slingshot with 50 g’s of force, or 10 times the acceleration of a fighter jet. This means that they can catch prey that’s over a foot away from their body! Additionally, chameleons’ eyes help them hunt by moving independently, which give them a 360 degree field of vision!