An adult, male Jackson chameleon found recently on Kauai has prompted concern that the scaly reptile might be a threat to the island’s ecosystem.

Jackson chameleons are established on Oahu, according to Janelle Saneishi, spokeswoman of the Department of Agriculture.

“It’s not illegal to have it on Oahu, but it’s prohibited from the neighbor islands,” she said.

Jackson chameleons were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the early 1970s and pose a threat to native insects and snails. In a recent news release, Keren Gundersen, project manager of the Kauai Invasive Species Committee, said there is a concern that Jackson chameleons might be moving into upper-elevation, pristine forests, where there is abundant prey and the climate is favorable for the lizards.

“If chameleons reach and establish populations in these areas, devastating impacts to the native ecosystem are possible,” she added.

A Lihue resident walking his dog spotted the adult male lizard perched on a chain-link fence, took a photo of it and reported the sighting to the Hawaii Early Detection Network’s website, www.reportapest.org.

Members of the Kauai Invasive Species Committee, coordinating with an inspector from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Branch, captured the lizard on May 16 in Lihue Town Tract-Camp A after a four-day search.

Gundersen said the chameleon’s body was about 7 inches long. The measurement did not include the tail. It was reportedly transported to Oahu.

Gundersen said it’s uncommon to spot the chameleons on Kauai.

“We don’t know where it came from,” she said. “It’s possible that it’s an escaped pet but we really don’t know.”

The Department of Agriculture has an amnesty program for those who voluntarily turn in the reptiles.

To report any Jackson chameleons on Kauai, call 643-7378.