My First Successful Jackson Chameleon Hunt
By AL Balderama
To me hunting Jackson's Chameleons (Chamaeleo Jacksonii Xantholophus) in the Ko'olau Mountains is very exciting, relaxing, healthful (physically & mentally) and most of all fun. I can still remember my first experience trying to find these creatures at night in Moanalua Valley with my only brother, Raymond. Previous to that first experience I joined the United States Air Force as a firefighter in December 1979. The USAF granted me a Humanitarian Assignment back to Hickam Air Force Base because my father was dying. I returned to the islands, August 1989, after being away from Hawaii for 10 years. Raymond also returned after being away for several years assigned to the Army’s 82nd Airborne Unit in Fort Brag, North Carolina. During a welcome-back party at my auntie’s house I heard my first story of people catching Jackson Chameleons at the Pali Lookout area. I did not know at that time that a Pet Shop owner in Kaneohe released these unique lizards in 1972. Few years after the initial releases the Chamaeleo Jacksonii Xantholophus had established itself in the Ko'olau Mountain Range.
In the early 1990s, after hearing more stories of people catching chameleons at Pali, Tantalus and Moanalua, I convinced my younger brother to finally go with me on a hunting trip. We first choose to go to Moanalua Valley since it was the closest location to our home in Mililani. We grabbed our dad’s 20-foot plus collapsing telescopic fishing pole, two of my night diving flashlights, some insect repellant and off we went into the darkness of the night. It was 8pm when we started from the outside of the parking lot. We were both determined to find a chameleon, but did not know what to look for. Thinking the leaves were chameleons, I probably poked several hundred leaves with the tip of the fishing pole. At the end of this hunting expedition, 8 hours later (at 4am), not one leaf turned out to be the elusive Jackson Chameleon. The only thing I took out of this trip was some mosquito bites and a strained left eye. Needless to say, we both were very disappointed of not getting a glimpse of the lizard that naturally adapts its coloration to its surrounding.
The following week of that unsuccessful hunt, our cousin Leonard gave female Jackson Chameleons to my brother and me. He heard we wanted to find some and got some from his girlfriend’s nephews. Leonard told us that they caught them at one of the trails off Tantalus Drive. This new information got us very excited. My strained eye healed after a few more days of rest and the Balderama brother duo was off to Tantalus. We were even more committed to find Jackson Chameleons; after all we had to find boyfriends or mates for our new female chameleons.
There were some other items we took with us that were different from our previous trip. This was my sharp machete mainly for protection against the wild pigs. In certain areas there are more wild pigs than other locations. They’re mostly scared of humans, given the chance they usually run away. It’s the one you sneak up to by mistake that panics and might attack. This has happened to me once, but not this night. This is why I like to talk or make noise while hiking the trails at night. The noise and voices wakes the sleeping pigs to give them a chance to get out of my way.
Another item I brought with me was a backpack. Inside the backpack was a first aid kit, bottled water, food/snacks, rain gear, extra batteries, spare flashlight bulbs, map of the trails on Tantalus, pocketknife with attached tools, toilet paper, and a spare flashlight. I would have packed a cellular phone if I owned one. I also packed a few small empty coffee cans with holes in the lid to put an anticipated caught chameleon. Besides the coffee cans, these items were all needed on our first experience in Moanalua Valley. Raymond also found his binoculars to lessen any potential eyestrain.
There are so many trails on Tantalus. We decided to take the Puu Ohia trail. Our decision was based on one of the Oahu Trails Guidebook that stated this trail goes to the highest peak on Tantalus. We started at 8 p.m. The weather forecast was very nice, clear skies with 10-15 mph tradewinds. It is very important to know this information before going into the mountains. I avoid some trails when the weather has a chance of heavy showers. This night the moon was full and seemed extra bright.
Fifteen minutes into our hike we climbed a very steep incline with no signs of that three-horned male Jackson Chameleon. We decided to go off the beaten path on a side trail. We scanned the many trees and shrubs that covered a hilltop peak. Raymond grabbed his binocular and sighted our first Jackson. He was looking at a tall Eucalyptus tree. Raymond then guided me towards the tree as his eyes locked in on our target. I worked my way through the heavy brush and finally got under this huge tree. I shined my flashlight and quickly located a large female. I yelled back excitedly to Raymond to confirm to him that I had a female in my sights. He yelled back to me that he was looking at a huge male through his binoculars. Confused, I scanned the tree once more. I screamed with joy when I finally located the male 2-feet above the female in a cluster of slim leaves. I shouted, "We have discovered a natural mating pair in the wild". Raymond came to my location within seconds after I confirmed the male’s location. I stretched the pole to its fullest length and had no problems coaxing the chameleons to climb on to the pole’ tip.
Both lizards were perfect specimens. The female was large with a yellowish green color. The male was huge with straight long horns. This male had a large broad dark aqua blue stripe that ran from his shoulders to the tip of his tail. Both looked robust and healthy. We carefully placed the chameleons on sections of branches and placed them into the coffee cans. After packing the cans into my backpack, I hugged my brother and shook his hand as we celebrated our first catch. We took a small break in the action. We sat on the peak of this hilltop, ate a snack and drank some water. We had a spectacular view on this hilltop looking down at the beautiful lights of Manoa Valley, Waikiki and Honolulu. After taking in the scenery, we decided to go home to show off our prized catch. We headed back after only 1 hour of hunting. Little did we know this was not the climax of our trip. On our way out of the brush back towards the beaten path, I located the biggest male Jackson Chameleon I have ever found or seen. He was sleeping with its tail coiled, resting on a branch of a 5-foot Strawberry Guava tree. He was at my eye level so there was no need for the 20-foot pole as I easily grabbed it gently off the tree. He was a big and strong lizard and he crawled up my arm. His long and sharp claws dug into my skin, and drew blood. This felt like many needles poking me with each grasp of the chameleon. I quickly placed him on a broken section of a sturdy dead branch. I examined my arm and it looked like I had many mosquito bites or a case of the hives because of some allergic reaction. I quickly cleaned the welts from the claw marks with an alcohol pad and had no further complications. Even if the welt marks were very minor, bringing a first aid kit paid off that night.
I kept this monster lizard and Raymond kept the large natural pair. The natural pair gave us our first babies (16 total) after 6 months in captivity. I named my monster male "Blackhook". My big guy had a blackish (very dark green) color on the side of his head with one of his orbital horns hooked (click on thumbnail).
Blackhook gave me almost 5 years of joy as my favorite captive pet. In those years, he sired most of my females and gave me many offspring.
I've had many experiences from the past decade, since that first successful hunt in the Ko'olau Mountains. Most of my memories have been with my wife Chonga, brother Raymond, cousin Leonard, some other family members and friends. Recently I have been partnering with Aaron Miyamoto a long time chameleon hunter and fellow HHS member. Some of the experiences have been happy, enlightening, scary, frustrating, and tiring. This story is just one of my most memorable. Like a first love, my first successful chameleon hunt is one of the most joyful experiences in my decade of chameleon hunting expeditions. Mahalo to all for letting me share and relive this experience.
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