Against all the odds, SookeB次元官网网址檚 most famous chameleon has been reunited with his family after over two months on the lam.

Nicknamed B次元官网网址楬oudiniB次元官网网址� by Sooke Veterinary Clinic, the scaly escape-artist made headlines last month when it was snapped talking a walk outdoors near the sport box on Phillips Road. 

Shared online, the photo sparked a community effort to locate the chameleon, with over 20 people giving their time to help.

And his rescue on Oct. 22 came just in the nick of time, with temperatures plummeting, and showing signs of dehydration and a weakened immune system, the cold-blooded chameleon was potentially days away from death.

Taken into care by staff at Sooke Veterinary Clinic, the lucky lizard was then reunited with its owners after they read about his adventures in the Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror.

B次元官网网址淭hey are so beyond happy to have him back and eternally grateful for the amazing Sooke community,B次元官网网址� said the vet clinic in an online post, which revealed the chameleonB次元官网网址檚 name as Zeke. 

B次元官网网址淲e at Sooke Vet also want to extend our gratitude to everyone who helped spread the word and bring this little guy back to his family. Zeke fought against the odds and made himself famous in the process.B次元官网网址�

It was then vet clinic staff discovered just how incredible ZekeB次元官网网址檚 story was B次元官网网址� he had been missing since mid-August.

Taken outside to soak up some natural summer sunlight, the lizard disappeared after he was left alone for a fleeting moment.

B次元官网网址淲e thought maybe a bird or a cat had got him,B次元官网网址� said ZekeB次元官网网址檚 owner Veaira Heisler. "And chameleons can move a lot faster than you think."

With the help of their neighbours, Heisler and her teenage son, Malakai, searched for the elusive reptile for several days before giving up hope of finding him.

B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 believe it when I saw him in the newspaper,B次元官网网址� said Heisler, who estimates Zeke was found over one kilometre from home. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so funny to imagine him out for a stroll, going about his business. HeB次元官网网址檚 quite the little survivor.B次元官网网址�

ZekeB次元官网网址檚 return home could not have come at a better time, turning up days before HeislerB次元官网网址檚 sonB次元官网网址檚 14th birthday on Nov. 8.

B次元官网网址淚 picked him up from school and told him there was a surprise waiting for him back at home,B次元官网网址� said Heisler. B次元官网网址淗e was very happy to see him.B次元官网网址�

How the domesticated chameleon survived over two months in the wild remains a mystery, but vet Dr Andrew Crookes, who has a special interest in exotic pets, said SookeB次元官网网址檚 semi-Mediterranean climate in August and September will have met ZekeB次元官网网址檚 needs B次元官网网址渞easonably well.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f he had been left out there any longer, we were definitely getting to the point that he wouldn't have been able to survive the night, probably within a matter of days,B次元官网网址� he said, explaining temperatures below 10 C would have sent the critter into B次元官网网址渃old shockB次元官网网址�, causing major organ damage.

B次元官网网址淎nd he would have been be a lovely snack for many wild animals, so the fact that he beat the odds in that way is fantastic.B次元官网网址�

A captive diet of live insects and bait, also played into the chameleonB次元官网网址檚 favour, arming it with the skills needed to capture live prey.

B次元官网网址淪o oddly enough, being out in the wild and potentially getting a wide diversity of different insects was probably a benefit for him,B次元官网网址� said Crookes. B次元官网网址淚t's one of the big challenges we have in captivity: giving them a varied diet.B次元官网网址�

Regardless of how Zeke survived, there is one thing Crookes is certain of. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 one tough critter,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚'm pretty blown away by his story."