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Fast Facts:
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A special throat valve (consisting
of a wide flap of skin at the back of the mouth) allows caimans
to feed while underwater without the risk of drowning.
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Caimans
have a transparent 'third eyelid', or nictitating membrane, that
covers their eyes as they swim.
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Crocodilians
may lose teeth when tackling prey, but these teeth are quickly replaced.
Depending on the species, caimans have 68-86 teeth.
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| Scientific Name:
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Paleosuchus palpebrosus
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| Classification:
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Phylum Chordata; Class Reptilia; Order Crocodylia; Family Crocodylidae;
Subfamily Alligatorinae
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| Status:
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The United States Fish & Wildlife Service lists the black caiman,
the broad-snouted caiman, and the Yacare caiman as endangered. The
IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) also lists
the black caiman as endangered. In addition, several species of
caimans are listed by CITES, the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. CITES is a United
Nations treaty with over 100 member states that provides a means
for regulating international trade in wild animals and plants.
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| Range:
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Mexico,
Central America, and South America.
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| Habitat:
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Caimans can be found in a variety
of habitat types, but are always near water.
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| Diet:
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In the wild, caimans eat fish, turtles, birds and occasionally small
mammals.
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| Size:
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Caimans range in size from the dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus),
which typically measures 4-5 feet in length, to the black caiman
(Melanosuchus niger), the largest of the caimans, which may
reach lengths of 16 feet or more.
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| Location:
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Not on grounds.
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Print Fact Sheet
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Caiman
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Special Features:
The
caiman, like the other crocodilians, is specially adapted for hunting
in the water. Its eyes and nose are set high on the head so the
caiman can see and breathe while the rest of its body is hidden
beneath the water's surface.
Life for these swimmers is made easier through several adaptations. The animal’s large, muscular tail helps propel it through the water, and the toes of its back feet are webbed to aid in swimming
Caimans often swallow stones, which end up in their stomach. Biologists believe that these "gastroliths" act as weights to help the caiman submerge in the water when they exhale air.
Social Structure & Behavior:
Crocodilians
have bony plates, called osteoderms, on their backs that help protect
the animals. Caimans have more osteoderms than many of the other
crocodilians. This makes their skins an inferior commercial product
for the trade in crocodilian hides. Since the 1950s, however, as
the number of classic crocodile had gone down, millions of caiman
have been harvested for the reptile skin trade.
Predators of the caiman may include jaguars and large snakes.
Female caimans build mound nests. Some caiman species construct their nests beside termite mounds, and it is believed that they use the metabolic heat from the termites to keep the nest warm. Approximately 2 months after breeding the female caiman will lay anywhere from 15 to 40 eggs. The eggs are incubated for 2.5 to 3 months, and the mother will guard the nest during this time.
There are no external characteristics to distinguish females from male caimans.
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