Crocodiles part 8: Black caiman

Black caiman is the largest caiman species, and one of the world's most beautiful crocodilians. It grows to 5 m/17', and possibly even to 6 m/20'.

Black (above) and spectacled caimans, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caiman, MSDR, Brazil. Note the prominent back ridge.

Black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caiman is similar to Caiman species, and might belong to that genus. It, too, has bony ridge between eyes.

Black caiman, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, Florida.

Black caiman has brighter eyeshine than spectacled and yacare caimans of the same size. Karanambu Ranch, Guyana.

Black caiman skull, Coca, Ecuador.

Look also for the prominent back ridge and "hedgehog" scale pattern on the nape.

Black caiman, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador.

Black caimans, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador.

Black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

The most reliable identifying character is the shape of the eye socket: in black caiman it extends far ahead of the eyelids.

Black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caiman, Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve, Brazil.

Black caiman skull, Bosque da Ciencia, Brazil.

Once common in the Amazon Basin and the interior Guianas, black caiman has been hunted almost to extinction for its valuable skin. Now it can only be seen in remote areas.

Black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caimans, MSDR, Brazil.

Courtship of black caimans. Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivia.

Good places to see black caimans in the wild include Karanambu Ranch (Guyana), Mamiraua Reserve (Brazil), Manu National Park (Peru), Beni Biological Station (Bolivia) and Yasuni Nat'l Park (Ecuador).

Very large black caiman. Parque Zoobotanico do Museu Goeldi, Belem, Brazil.

This male is one of the largest black caimans currently in captivity. PZdMG, Brazil.

Large black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caiman is the only crocodilian species in the Amazon large enough to attack people. Such attacks are very rare - usually these caimans are very shy.

Growling black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caimans in cobra-like display, MSDR, Brazil.

Black caiman tail-wagging, MSDR, Brazil.

Most attacks on humans seem to be not predation, but territorial defense by large males. They get very aggressive during the mating season, at may lounge at anything that moves. Imminent attack is signaled by cobra-like posture, tail-wagging, hissing, growling, and sometimes head-slapping. Juveniles and caimans of other species move to other habitats at that time to avoid trouble.

Black caiman hissing, MSDR, Brazil.

An exceptionally large male black caiman in nighttime terrestrial ambush, MSDR, Brazil.

Juvenile black caiman in a wheel rut on a forest road, Iwokrama Rainforest, Guyana.

Like Spartan kids, young black caimans often grow up in marginal habitats such as flooded forests and ditches. No wonder they are feisty from an early age.

This juvenile lost half its upper jaw in a fight. Georgetown Zoo, Guyana.

Juvenile black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Juvenile black caiman, SAAFZP, Florida.

Baby black caiman, Mamiraua SDR, Brazil.

Baby black caimans are among the cutest crocodilian babies, but they are very difficult to see in the wild.

Hatchling black caiman, Mamiraua SDR, Brazil.

Black caiman, MSDR, Brazil.

Part 9: Dwarf caimans

Back to Part 7

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