Did you know that African chameleons are bigger than regular chameleons, but are the same bright green color? Or that green European tree frogs were used as barometers? Or that the small green snake in your backyard is called a smooth green snake? Read on to discover more about 12 different green animals and their symbiotic relationships found across the world!
1. African Chameleon
These amphibians live in the dry savannas of the Sahel in Africa, though there is also a non-native population of African chameleons in Greece. While they are very similar to the common chameleon, they are larger and have no flaps on the back of their head. These chameleons are bright green, with black and yellow spots, and can also change color (like the common chameleon).
2. Green-Headed Tanager
The small, brightly-colored green-headed tanager bird is found in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. They have a green or sometimes blue head, with black on the backs of their neck. They prefer to live in humid forests, and their blue-green coloring helps them camouflage against the trees.
3. European Treefrog
European treefrogs are small, slender frogs with smooth skin that live in Europe and the United Kingdom. They were historically used as barometers, as they croak when rain is coming. They prefer to live in damp areas such as marshlands and meadows but can also be found in humid and dry forests. Depending on the temperature, humidity, and mood, their skin can range between shades of green such as bright, olive, gray, and yellow.
4. Green Sea Turtles
Green sea turtles (also known as the Pacific green turtle) live in tropical and subtropical areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. While their shells are typically olive to black, they are named for the green color of their skin and fat below their shells.
5. Smooth Green Snake
Also called a grass snake, the smooth green snake is a slender, small to medium bright green snake. It is a non-aggressive species of snake and gets its name from the smooth dorsal scales on its body. These snakes are native to all of North America and are often found in backyards, vegetable gardens, open woods, and near streams, where they take up summer residence.
6. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Also a common sight in North America, the ruby-throated hummingbird lives in Florida, Central America, and Mexico during the winter and travels to Canada and eastern North America, such as New England, during the summer. Adult birds have metallic green feathers on top and white below. Males have a bright red throat, while females instead have a white throat.
7. Green Tree Python
The green tree python is a bright, St. Patrick's Day-green snake that lives in Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. It is often bred as a pet and can thrive in captivity. While its coloring makes it popular among snake owners, it is not recommended as a beginner snake due to needing specific care and an overall irritable personality.
8. Three-Toed Sloth
Three-towed sloths live in northern and central South America. These green animals are not technically green. Their long fur is coarse and gray-brown in color. However, algae grow on their fur, turning it green, and they use this and their stereotypical slow movements to camouflage in the trees.
9. Green Ringtail Possum
These small mammals are only found in northern Australia. Their fur is olive-gray but is streaked with yellow, silver, and black, making them appear even more green than they really are. They live in trees and are nocturnal creatures.
10. African Parrot
There are two types of African parrots; gray and green. Green African parrots are either bright or dark green, with a contrasting color on their head. They are native to sub-Saharan Africa but were introduced in Europe during Roman times. Although they are often kept in captivity, these green animals also maintain a large wild animal population as well.
11. Green Iguana
Nicknamed "the chicken of the trees" or "bamboo chicken" (gallina de Palo) in Puerto Rico, the green iguana is native to South America (primarily Brazil and Paraguay) but has been introduced in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the Florida Keys, and Texas. They have brightly colored green skin and are often kept as pets due to their calm temperaments.
12. Kakapo
So many green animals, and yet this green animal is extremely unique! The kakapo, or the "owl parrot," is a large, ground-dwelling flightless bird found only in New Zealand. The kakapo stands nearly two feet high and is the only flightless parrot. Their feathers are green and yellow with brown spots, and they can live to be nearly 100 years old. They are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Bonus: The Green Animals Topiary Garden
To see a different kind of green animal, consider visiting the Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. It is one of the largest topiaries in the United States and overlooks Narragansett Bay. The gardens hold a huge topiary collection, including eighty sculptured trees, as well as the Brayton House museum. Teddy bears, a camel, a giraffe, an ostrich, an elephant, and two bears carved from California privet, yew, and English boxwood are among the favorites. This nonprofit is run by The Preservation Society of Newport County.
