The parents of the Schönbrunn offspring were confiscated at Vienna Airport as recently as 2021. For years, these bizarre-looking animals have been caught illegally and smuggled to Europe or the USA.

Illegal trade is widespread
Their natural range in East Africa is tiny. They are highly endangered due to the destruction of their habitat, the zoo announced on Tuesday. If the habitat of this chameleon species is completely lost, the species will become extinct in the wild.

Global "Reverse the Red" initiative
Breeding them is an important contribution to the conservation of their species, because like more than a quarter of all animal and plant species, their survival is severely threatened by habitat loss. As part of the global "Reverse the Red" initiative, Schönbrunn Zoo is therefore working with other zoos, nature conservation organizations, ministries and other partners to counteract the extinction of species through strategic cooperation and to maintain stable, healthy populations.

The "Reverse the Red Day" on February 7 was created to present encouraging success stories on the subject of species conservation - such as the breeding success of the Vosseler two-horned chameleons in Schönbrunn. Visitors to the zoo can now marvel at the cute offspring.