The “Chameleon Project”, an initiative that aims to promote the conservation of this emblematic species of the region, has already started.
The initiative, which is the implementation of the candidacy «Camelão do Algarve's Recovery and Research Center», one of the winning proposals of the 2019 Youth Portugal Participatory Budget, will last a year and cover the entire eastern Algarve.
Its technical execution is in charge of the Algarve association Vita Nativa, which has a budget of 60 thousand euros at its disposal, to achieve the project's objectives.
And what are these goals?
«Through community awareness of the importance of the common chameleon (calls eleo calls eleon) and its threat factors, we intend to contribute to its long-term conservation», explained Vita Nativa.
«We also want to improve knowledge about the geographical distribution and biology of this species, which is so iconic in the Algarve, either with the collaboration of the population or by promoting scientific work», added those responsible for the technical execution of the project.
To achieve these goals, «the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, through the Regional Directorate of the Algarve, promoted the establishment of a broad partnership of regional scope, involving the municipalities of Loulé, Faro, Olhão, Tavira, Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António, the University of Algarve and the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests».
As for the planned actions, "a comprehensive environmental awareness campaign will be promoted, aimed not only at the Algarve community, but also at visitors to the region."
At the same time, «the “Chameleon Interpretation Center” will be created in Olhão, which will aim to make the species known and promote scientific knowledge about its ecology».
«The project also aims for society to actively contribute to the improvement of this knowledge, through participation in a citizen-science campaign, where it will be possible to record chameleon observations», according to Vita Nativa.
“In order to be able to improve the recovery of chameleons found injured or weakened, the Wildlife Recovery and Investigation Center (RIAS) will be trained, through the improvement of infrastructure suitable for the species”, concluded the association.
Anyone who sees a chameleon and wants to help those responsible for the initiative can register their observation directly on the project page, send the information to the email camaleã[email protected] or send a message through social networks of Associação Vita Nativa.
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