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Project Noah Nature School
Caiman yacare
Mid-sized crocodilian, average males grow to 2.5m (8') but large males have been recorded up to 3m (Nearly 10') and 60kg (130 lbs approx). Females are smaller all round at 1.4m and up around 20kgs.
Found in wet areas throughout central South America the largest concentration of them is in the Brazillian Pantanal where an estimated 10 million are thought to exsist. This is thought to be the highest concentration of crocdillians on the planet. The images here were taken from the river (Rio Piquiri), but just about any water hole, stream or river sustains a population of these caiman in high densities at the end of the dry season.
The huge population of these animals in the Pantanal is thought to be one reason the Jaguar is doing better in this area than else where as caimen make up a large part of a jaguars diet. Caimen are also preyed upon by large anaconda. In turn these caimen eat mainly fish (piranha) and small mammals repties and birds. Larger ones will also take capybara. Images depict a large adult and a juvenile on the bank to show how well camouflaged they can be.
Spotted on Oct 26, 2015
Submitted on Nov 25, 2015
5 Comments
Thanks Mark. They always look like they are smiling :)
What a face. Great spot Rob
Thank you Christiane and Polilla. Yes I expect to share many more spottings here. Thank you both for your kind words.
It is a great spotting. :) Thanks for sharing and hopefully many more to come.
Hi Everyone, this is my 100th spotting on PN, I know its small stuff compared to you veterans out there but i would just like to say what a pleasure it has been to become part of this community and I look forward to sharing many more spottings in the future. Robert.