Reptiles
Caimans
CaimaninaeConservation statusLeast Concern
DietFish, birds and mammals of the riverbanks
Lifespan30-80 years, depending on the species
Size and weightBlack caiman: 4 m and more
Ecuador has four species: crowned dwarf caiman, black caiman, brown caiman and white caiman. In the dark you mostly see pairs of eyes above the water.
Shining eyes
What makes it specialA layer in the eye reflects the flashlight as two red dots. So people count them by their eyes.
Surprising factThe black caiman is the only one of the four large enough to hunt an adult capybara.
PopulationHunting for its skin made the black caiman very rare, but it is now recovering. The white caiman is very common.
Muddy banks and lagoons, mostly after dark