Schönbrunn Zoo can look forward to the offspring of rare chameleon species. The parent animals were confiscated by customs officers at Vienna-Schwechat Airport in January of the previous year and handed over to the Austrian zoo for care.

On January 20, 2021, a 56-year-old man was caught at Austria's largest airport trying to smuggle strictly protected and rare chameleons to Austria. According to dformer declaration of the customs authority the animals were in poor condition. The small reptiles were immediately handed over to Schönbrunn Zoo for care.

He was able to successfully pep up and stabilize the 74 species-protected chameleons. Now the Schönbrunn Zoo can even report that there are now offspring. "In the meantime, all of the rare chameleon species have laid eggs, and the young of three species have already hatched," said a zoo official.

Apparently, confiscation by customs was the best solution for the chameleons, because they seem to feel so comfortable in Schönbrunn Zoo that there are now offspring. According to its own information, the Vienna Zoo is one of only two facilities that has young animals of rare chameleon species. Shortly after birth, these exclusive tails are only about an inch tall.