Spectacled Caiman
Caiman crocodilus
The bespectacled caiman, sentry of tropical waters
The Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is one of the most common crocodilians in Central and South America. It frequents slow rivers, marshes, lagoons and tropical wetlands, where it plays a major role in the balance of aquatic environments.
The species is classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN. This overall stability is explained by its great ability to adapt. However, it does not exclude local pressures related to water pollution and the transformation of wetlands. Like the Cuvier's dwarf caiman, the bespectacled caiman is closely dependent on the quality of aquatic environments.
His name comes from the bone ridge between his eyes, giving the impression that he is wearing glasses. Of average size, it generally measures between 1.5 and 2.5 meters in size as an adult. Its robust morphology and powerful jaw make it an effective predator.
Mostly nocturnal, it hunts on the lookout. Its diet is carnivorous and varied: fish, amphibians, crustaceans and small vertebrates. By regulating these populations, it contributes to the good health of aquatic ecosystems.
At the Martinique Zoo, the bespectacled caiman makes it possible to approach the diversity of tropical aquatic reptiles and to better understand the importance of wetlands in the conservation of wildlife.
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Quelques anecdotes
An immobile hunter
The bespectacled caiman can remain perfectly still for long minutes, sometimes almost completely submerged. This technique allows it to surprise its prey without expending energy.
An attentive mother
After hatching, the female can carry her young in her mouth to the water and watch them for several weeks, a parental care behavior that is relatively rare in reptiles.
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