The
spectacled (White) caiman (
Caiman crocodilus) is a
crocodiliaCrocodilia is an order of large reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period . They are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria...
n
reptileReptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, generally "cold-blooded" amniotes that generally have skin covered in scales or scutes. They are tetrapods and lay amniote eggs, whose embryos are surrounded by the amnion membrane...
found in much of
CentralManagua
Guatemala City
San Salvador
San Pedro Sula
Panama City
San José, Costa Rica
Santa Ana, El Salvador
León
San Miguel|-|}...
and
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverine habitat types and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh; due in part to this adaptability it is the most common of all crocodilian species. Males of the species are generally between 2 and 2.5 meters, while females are smaller, usually around 1.4 meters.
The
spectacled (White) caiman (
Caiman crocodilus) is a
crocodiliaCrocodilia is an order of large reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period . They are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria...
n
reptileReptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, generally "cold-blooded" amniotes that generally have skin covered in scales or scutes. They are tetrapods and lay amniote eggs, whose embryos are surrounded by the amnion membrane...
found in much of
CentralManagua
Guatemala City
San Salvador
San Pedro Sula
Panama City
San José, Costa Rica
Santa Ana, El Salvador
León
San Miguel|-|}...
and
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverine habitat types and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh; due in part to this adaptability it is the most common of all crocodilian species. Males of the species are generally between 2 and 2.5 meters, while females are smaller, usually around 1.4 meters. The species' common name comes from a bony ridge between the eyes, which gives the appearance of a pair of spectacles.
This species has actually benefited from commercial utilisation and over-hunting of other species within its range (
Crocodylus acutus,
Crocodylus intermedius and
Melanosuchus niger), taking over habitat from which it would otherwise have been out-competed by healthy populations. The skin of
C. crocodilus is not ideally suited to tanning, as the ventral scales contain well-developed osteoderms. Only the lateral flanks provide skin of an acceptable quality for
tanningTanning is the process of making leather, which does not easily decompose, from the skins of animals, which do. Often this uses tannin, an acidic chemical compound. Coloring may occur during tanning....
. Hunting pressures remained relatively low, therefore, until populations of the sympatric crocodilian species became depleted in the 1950s, when hunting of
C. crocodilus intensified. The numbers of caimans harvested since then has been huge, and they currently supply the vast majority of the hide market in America. Leather from this species is often passed off as
Alligator mississippiensis or other species.
Despite pressure from hunting and also collection for the pet trade, however, existing surveys suggest that populations are in relatively good condition in most areas (e.g.
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
). This seems to reflect the adaptability of the species, its reproductive potential, and the increase in available habitat through the removal of competing species and an increase in man-made water bodies (e.g.
ColombiaColombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
, Venezuela). However, it is these factors which make it difficult to determine the overall status of the species, as populations are faring less well in other areas—surveys reveal severe depletion in
El SalvadorEl Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras. It lies on the Gulf of Fonseca, as does Nicaragua further south. It has a population of approximately 5.7 million people as of 2009 on...
. Despite being commonly mistaken as this species, the incredibly large population of caiman living within the Brazilian
PantanalThe Pantanal is a tropical wetland and the world's largest wetland of any kind. It lies mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul but extends into Mato Grosso as well as into portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...
are in fact a separate species, the
Yacare CaimanThe Yacare Caiman is a species of caiman found in central South America, including northeastern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, south-west Brazil , and the rivers of Paraguay. They grow to about 2 to 3 meters and have a diet of fish, molluscs, mammals , and crustaceans.-External links:*...
. More up-to-date surveys are required for clarification, and to examine the interactions between the different
subspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is 1) a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, or 2) a taxonomic unit, a taxon in that rank...
. Further taxonomic work would make control measures easier to implement, as currently identification of different subspecies can be difficult. The major threat to this species and its subspecies is currently illegal hunting. Smuggling rings operating through
ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
and
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
are extremely damaging to individual populations, and greater control measures and more effective legislation are needed.
The
subspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is 1) a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, or 2) a taxonomic unit, a taxon in that rank...
C. c. apaporiensis is under severe threat in Colombia. Feral populations of
C. crocodilus are creating problems for other species of crocodilians and native wildlife, however. These populations have become established in three countries. The introduced population in
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city. Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is...
is thought to have been primarily responsible for the dramatic decline and probable disappearance of
Crocodylus rhombifer from the Isla de la Juventud.
Sustainable use programs are well developed in several countries. Most of these rely upon regular cropping of wild populations. The long-term effects of this cropping need to be investigated. The reproductive potential of this species makes properly controlled sustainable yield programs look promising. Farming and ranching programs, while they exist, may be uneconomical in the long run, given the value of the hide and the number of animals which need to be culled in order to produce a profitable amount of hide.
Spectacled caiman have strongly protective maternal behaviour. They raise their young in creches, one female taking care of her own as well as several others' offspring .
Diet
Juveniles take a variety of aquatic
invertebrateAn invertebrate is an animal without a vertebral column. The group includes 95% of all animal species — all animals except those in the Chordate subphylum Vertebrata ....
s (insects, crustaceans, mollusks). As they grow, various vertebrates take up a greater percentage of the diet. These include fish, amphibians, reptiles, and water birds. Older animals are capable of taking larger, mammalian prey (e.g. wild pigs). Observations show that as conditions become drier, caimans stop feeding.
CannibalismCannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other humans.The word can be extended into zoology to mean any species consuming members of its own kind, and used outside of biological fields in a metaphorical sense: "Cannibalization" refers to the reuse of parts or ideas, such as...
has been reported under such conditions. The ecological importance of this species has been demonstrated in terms of nutrient recycling—nitrogenous waste re-enters the
ecosystemAn ecosystem is a system of interdependent organisms which share the same habitat, in an area functioning together with all of the physical factors of the environment. Ecosystems can be permanent or temporary. Ecosystems usually form a number of food webs...
to the benefit of other plants and animals. In areas where this species has become depleted, fish populations have also shown a decline. They are also reputed to control
piranhaA piranha or piraña is a member of a family of omnivorous freshwater fish which live in South American rivers. In Venezuelan rivers, they are called caribes. They are known for their sharp teeth and a voracious appetite for meat....
numbers. While it has been stated that little evidence is available to support this,
C. yacareThe Yacare Caiman is a species of caiman found in central South America, including northeastern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, south-west Brazil , and the rivers of Paraguay. They grow to about 2 to 3 meters and have a diet of fish, molluscs, mammals , and crustaceans.-External links:*...
does demonstrate this particular dietary preference. In reality, it is likely that
C. crocodilus is very much a generalist and adaptive predator, given its ecological success. They are virtually harmless to humans, although they may bite if harassed.