Red caiman. The black caiman is a living fossil of the Amazon. Reproduction and parental behavior

The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is mainly found in Bolivia, Brazil, the provinces of Colombia, Ecuador, central French Guiana, Guyana, western Peru and Venezuela.

It is found in a variety of freshwater habitats such as streams, lakes, flooded savannas and wetlands.

The black caiman is the largest A species in the alligator family, it can reach up to 6 meters in length (about 20 feet), making it largest member of the caiman family and the largest predator in the Amazon.

The species is very similar to the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). As follows from their common name, black caimans have a dark coloration.

Caimans have gray stripes on the lower jaw (brown in older animals) and light yellow or white stripes along the entire body, although these become more noticeable in juveniles. These stripes disappear gradually as the animal begins to gradually mature. The black caiman has a bony spine above red eyes, and is distinguished by scaly skin. The coloring of the skin helps camouflage during night hunts and also helps absorb heat.

Black caimans feed on piranhas, catfish, and other animals such as turtles and various terrestrial animals such as capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) and deer that come to the water. Large specimens can feed on tapirs and anacondas. Their teeth are designed to capture prey and, after drowning, feed on food. Juveniles eat crustaceans and fish before moving on to larger terrestrial prey. Healthy individuals are among the peaks the food chain predators in their habitat. The main danger to them comes from people who hunt large reptiles for their skin and meat.

Female black caimans build their nests (about one and a half meters in diameter) during the dry season. The offspring reaches from 30 to 65 eggs. Hatching of the eggs usually occurs between 43 and 92 days before the start of the rainy season. Female caimans often nest close to each other. Nests can be located in both hidden and open places. Throughout the entire period, females try to stay close to their nests.

Once the eggs are ready to hatch, she opens the nest and assists in the hatching process. Black caimans sometimes eat their young.

The estimated wild population ranges from 25,000 to 50,000. Today, the black caiman population is under threat due to ongoing illegal hunting and increased competition with the larger crocodile caiman species.

The latter species moved into areas of habitat that were once inhabited by black caimans; the main settlement of caiman crocodiles in these areas was due to their increased ability to reproduce in different conditions. The greatest destruction of black caimans' habitat occurs in French Guiana, as a result of deforestation, burning of wetlands, and hunters capable of exterminating both species.

The black caiman (lat. Melanosuchus niger) belongs to the Alligator family (Alligatoridae) and is considered its largest representative. Some specimens reach a body length of up to 6 m, inferior in South America its size only (Crocodylus intermedius).

The reptile has an evil character and attacks any living creature within its reach. It attacks livestock and can even take down a cow. Reptile represents mortal danger for a person. Fortunately, there are very few officially registered cases that resulted in the death of the victim.

The species was first described in 1862 by German zoologist Johann von Spix.

Spreading

The habitat is located in the Amazon basin. The reptile is common in the northern part of South America. The largest populations live in Brazil and Bolivia. In Venezuela and Paraguay, the black caiman is rarely seen.

The reptile settles in flowing and standing water bodies.

In addition to rivers, lakes and oxbow lakes, during the flood period from May to July, it appears in flooded forests and savannas. During drought, the alligator returns to its usual bodies of water.

For his residence, he chooses hard-to-reach places and avoids open spaces, where it can become prey for hunters. Local population actively hunts it for its high-quality leather and meat. Large males and females are primarily persecuted after laying eggs.

In the 90s, poachers annually supplied more than 100 tons of black caiman meat to the market from only one Brazilian reserve, Mamiraua. The population size is currently estimated at 25-50 thousand individuals.

Behavior

In his natural environment habitat, adult representatives of this species have no natural enemies. In a number of regions they are being replaced ( Caiman crocodilus), its smaller and voracious food competitor, which is an opportunistic and rapidly reproducing predator.

Young alligators feed on insects and snails, and as they develop they move on to larger animals. Their diet is supplemented by fish, lizards and waterfowl. Large reptiles diversify their daily menu with mammals and other species of caimans.

Like most crocodiles, they are active at dusk and at night, and during the day they rest in their shelters. Moreover, during hunting, these predators rely more on their vision than on hearing and smell. They often wait for their prey at a watering hole or hunt for those swimming in the water (Hydrochoerus hydrochaerus).

Black caimans swallow small prey whole, and first bite off a small piece of a larger trophy. The structure of their jaws and teeth does not allow them to chew the flesh of a captured victim.

Melanosuchus niger is famous for its vocal abilities. The reptile makes loud sounds reminiscent of thunder. They can be heard from a great distance. Such sounds help to avoid collisions with relatives and attract partners during the mating season.

Reproduction

Females become sexually mature when they reach a body length of more than 200 cm, and males 230 cm. In the dry season, they build nests with a diameter of about 150 cm from silt and fragments of rotting plants. It is located in shallow water and is usually surrounded by dense aquatic vegetation. Construction occurs from July to August after mating during the rainy season.

The female lays from 30 to 60 eggs weighing about 140 g once every 2-3 years. Incubation lasts 80-90 days. All this time, the mother is nearby and guards the clutch. Despite all her efforts, (Nasua narica) and (Tupinambis) manage to make their way to the nest and feast on the laid eggs.

Hatching crocodiles squeak pitifully. Hearing their squeak, the female breaks the clutch and helps them get out.

The hatched babies stay near the shore and sometimes join in flocks. No more than 10-15% of them survive to sexual maturity.

Description

The average length is 2-4 m. Only a small number of males grow more than 5 m and gain weight of about 400 kg. Females are smaller than males and weigh 60-110 kg.

The scaly skin is dark, almost black. This camouflage color makes the reptile unnoticeable at night and helps to warm up better while sunbathing. There are grayish stripes on the lower jaw, acquiring a bronze tint in older individuals.

Light yellowish or whitish stripes are visible on the sides. They are especially noticeable in young alligators. The belly is light.

The large head ends in an elongated, pointed muzzle. A bony ridge is located above the large eyes. The tail is relatively short in relation to the body.

The lifespan of a black caiman is about 40-50 years. In captivity good care they live 60-80 years.

Appearance

The length reaches 4.7 m, there are unconfirmed reports of six-meter individuals. This is the most close-up view alligator and the second largest animal of South America, after the Orinoco crocodile. The color is very dark, sometimes almost black. There are gray or brown stripes on the lower jaw, light yellow stripes on the sides, most noticeable at a young age; in adults the coloring is more uniform. It differs from other caimans in having a sharper muzzle and big eyes. Total teeth - 72-76.

Lifestyle

It feeds mainly on fish and aquatic vertebrates, including the capybara. Prefers to hunt at night, has good developed vision and hearing. Large individuals can attack livestock and humans.

Population status

The black caiman is distributed in the Amazon basin: Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia. Prefers to settle in closed reservoirs and slow rivers. During river floods, it is found in flooded savannas and wetlands.

In the 1940s - 1950s, due to uncontrolled hunting, 99% of the population was exterminated. The beautiful black skin of this crocodile was highly prized. In inaccessible areas, hunting continued until the 1970s. The situation was also complicated by deforestation tropical forests and competition with other species, such as the crocodile caiman. The extermination of the black caiman has had a negative impact on the ecosystem in many areas - the number of piranhas and capybaras has greatly increased.

Currently, several countries have programs for the protection and breeding of the species, and the population is slowly recovering. The total number of the species is 25-50 thousand individuals.

Links

  • Melanosuchus niger
  • Species protection

Wikimedia Foundation.

2010.

F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron Individuals of the Brazilian black caiman (family Crocodiles) are called hunters in the night. IN dark time

days they most often go out in search of their prey. It is quite difficult to see such a creature. But there are especially brave individuals who go hunting to personally catch a rare amphibian. The animal has its own characteristics. Caymans live only in some parts of our planet. Below we will take a closer look at them.

Appearance These ones are scaly. She dark color

. On the sides of the body there are yellow or white stripes. These patterns are pronounced in young animals, but they disappear with age. The older amphibians become, the more even their color will be. This palette allows them to camouflage well in the dark. There are also stripes on the lower jaw. Their color is brown or gray. The embodiment of beauty, fearlessness and menace is the black caiman. Photo of this you will see later in the article. The crocodile has a small head. Its muzzle is slightly pointed and narrow, not as wide as other species. The eyes are huge and brown in color. Its tail is much longer than that of other reptiles.

The approximate number of teeth is from 72 to 76. Their arrangement is such that when biting the mouth works like scissors. This allows you to grab your prey well and eat it quickly. The weight of amphibians can reach almost 500 kilograms. They grow up to five meters in length. Females are distinguished by small markings near the eyes. They are left behind by annoying bloodthirsty flies when amphibians stand guard near their nests. In addition, females are significantly smaller in size than males. Their body length ranges from two to four meters. Weight is approximately 160 kilograms.

Nutrition

Very small caimans feed mainly small fish, snails and frogs. Amphibians that exceed one meter can eat piranhas and small animals located near bodies of water. The most large crocodiles They feed on snakes, monkeys, deer and sloths. They all become easy prey for adult caimans. Especially in those places where people go for a walk. Very often, a crocodile can eat its offspring by mistake.

The black caiman is also excellent at catching and without difficulty swallowing dolphins, anacondas, etc. Its jaws crush bones well and easily tear out pieces of meat, but cannot chew. Therefore, small animals are swallowed whole. Sometimes the caiman hides its prey under water for further easy cutting. Several cases of attacks on humans have been recorded, but this a rare event. Apparently, due to the fact that the villages are located far from the habitats of animals.

Reproduction

During periods of drought, the female begins to build nests from collected leaves, grass and dry branches. Their size reaches one and a half meters. Height - slightly less than one hundred centimeters. The female lays approximately 60 eggs at a time. She buries them in a new home. There they remain until the rainy season, after which the cubs hatch. A mother watches over her babies all the time until it's over. incubation period. Small amphibians that have just been born can already dive and swim.

Females lay eggs only once every three years. And the process of education itself takes several months. Parents are dishonest when it comes to educating their offspring, so most children become prey to various predators. Few live to adulthood.

Influence of other predators

Various predators, as well as fish, anacondas and other amphibians, can feast on them. But when they grow and reach about one meter in length, the number of enemies they have decreases significantly. Huge otters sometimes kill caimans, although they themselves constantly become their victims. And a predator like a jaguar can pose a threat only to young crocodiles. He is usually afraid of adults. Although there was one recorded case of a great black caiman being caught by this wild beast on the land. In general, such amphibians, given their size and enormous strength, have practically no enemies except humans.

Number and value

These marvelous animals have luxurious skin, which is highly valued because of its quality and beauty. Because of this, they were actively hunted, which led to a critical decline in the caiman population in the late 50s. At that time, their appearance could only be seen in certain places in the Amazon. And only thanks to the tropical forests, these crocodiles did not die completely.

Twenty years later, people realized that the black caiman himself was playing important role V ecological environment. When amphibians filled all the reservoirs and began to reproduce, they destroyed a huge part of the harmful vegetation. And this had a positive effect on surrounding nature. Therefore, laws were passed banning the destruction of crocodiles. IN this moment the number of these individuals reached approximately one million. There is currently no threat to the black caiman population.

Habitat

These individuals live in water bodies throughout almost all of South America. They live in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Guiana. In short, crocodiles have spread throughout the territory dominated by rainforests. Their favorite places to settle are closed lakes and quiet rivers located in secluded thickets. After all, the climate in such places is humid and not very hot, which has a beneficial effect on the life and reproduction of crocodiles. Black caimans can also be seen in the capital of Russia. These amphibians are in the most beautiful Moscow Zoo.

Trophy "Russian fishing"

In South America, as everyone knows, it is the largest in the world in terms of size. It is adjacent to large bodies of water: Ucayali and Marañon. This pool is home to piranhas, exotic fish and, of course, crocodiles. The black caiman is also found in the Amazon swamps. Trophy fishing it is very popular. Since this animal is very rare and beautiful, and its skin is in great demand in markets, people come to this reservoir and hunt amphibians. Some kill them to sell them to make money. After all, the price of such a catch is very high. And others try to catch predators just to take photos with them and release them back into the river. Because of this treatment of people, the black caiman began to fear them. “Russian fishing” is very popular not only in our area, but also in South America. Many of our compatriots come to the Amazon to hunt crocodiles on their own. For them, it’s like a big sport or a competition among big-catch experts.

To catch this beautiful reptile, you need to take bait from the meat of the animal, attach it to a rope and slightly dip it into a pond. The caiman will smell the scent and swim to the gear. The best time to hunt crocodiles is at night. During this period they are as active as possible and even go to the banks of rivers and lakes. You can also catch small amphibians with fish or large birds.

Also, not far from the reservoirs, there are special houses for tourists who come to relax and look not only at the wild nature, but also at these amazing individuals. The black caiman is very large predator, which poses a danger not only to small animals, but also to humans.

The black caiman is one of the largest, and in my opinion, also one of the most remarkable representatives of its family, despite its terrifying appearance. It is noticeably larger than other caimans. The length of the black caiman is usually approximately 4-4.5 meters, however, much larger individuals of about 6 meters in length are also occasionally found. Males, like other representatives of the Crocodylia order, are larger than females. The only representative of the Alligatoridae family that can compete with it in strength and size is the Mississippi alligator.
The black caiman lives in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana, Peru and Venezuela (if it has not been exterminated there by now).
The cold gaze and massive jaws give this caiman a very menacing appearance. And at the same time, they make him very attractive. Alligators (and caimans belong to the alligator family) have relatively shorter, wider and strong jaws than in representatives of the family Crocodylidae (true crocodiles). This is due to the specifics of nutrition. The fact is that a significant part of the alligator’s diet consists of turtles, which require very powerful jaws to crush their shells. Small caimans feed on insects, crustaceans and other small things. Having gained a little size, they begin to feed on fish. Well, adult animals, besides turtles, waterfowl and fish (even such terrible ones as piranhas), they also feed on mammals, including quite large ones, such as capybaras and even tapirs. This species of caimans is also dangerous to humans. After all, the black caiman, like any crocodile, is not particularly picky about food and can eat any animal it can handle. However, in our time, when there are fewer and fewer caimans, and more and more people, people pose a much more serious danger to the black caiman than he does to them. In addition to eating freshly killed prey, the black caiman, like all its relatives, does not disdain carrion. All crocodiles have a very powerful stomach, so the black caiman can digest almost anything. Crocodiles use the energy contained in food very productively, so they can go without food for a very long time. In addition, they deposit fat at the base of the tail and on the sides of the body. Crocodiles can enter a state of suspended animation, during which they slow down internal processes. Thanks to this feature, they can go without food for a whole year (and sometimes longer). So, despite popular belief, crocodiles cannot be called voracious animals.
The black caiman most often hunts at night, because all crocodiles are primarily nocturnal hunters. For this reason, they have a vertical pupil, like cats. Crocodiles generally have very beautiful eyes. They resemble the eyes of mythical dragons, giving off a metallic sheen. Iris of the eyes - Green colour, and at a certain angle of incidence of light it acquires a yellowish tint. At night, the pupils dilate, and if you point a flashlight at the crocodile’s eyes, they flash red. All crocodiles have excellent vision - they see perfectly both at night and during the day, both on land and under water. The third eyelid of crocodiles is transparent and well developed. When the reptile dives, the transparent third eyelid protects the eyes. In addition to excellent vision, crocodiles have a well-developed sense of smell and, unlike other reptiles, excellent hearing. They can even pick up very low frequencies. Crocodiles are quite loud-voiced reptiles. The sounds they make are very diverse, especially if you take into account the fact that they belong to the class of reptiles. During mating season, male crocodiles make very low-frequency sounds that cause the water on the surface to “jump.”
The black caiman, like its other 22 relatives, is a true master of camouflage. It can wait motionless in the water for a long time, with only its eyes and nostrils exposed, which are located at the same level and rise above the muzzle. Having noticed the victim, he quietly swims up to it, leaving minimal stains on the surface of the water, and making a lightning-fast lunge grabs it. The strength of the jaws and numerous teeth guarantee a reliable grip and the prey rarely manages to escape. The black caiman has the teeth of any real crocodile (Crocodylus), because representatives of the family Alligatoridae have more teeth than representatives of the family Crocodylidae. In the huge mouth of the black caiman there are from 72 to 76 teeth. All crocodiles permanent shift teeth, so the loss of one or another tooth is not scary for them. In place of a broken or lost tooth, another one very soon grows. They are all the same conical shape. Like all crocodiles, the teeth of the black caiman are not particularly sharp and are slightly curved. Therefore, having grabbed onto the victim, he cannot tear its flesh, like cats, dogs, monitor lizards, sharks and many other predators. Crocodiles have different tactics. Possessing an iron grip, they grab some part of their victim, and then begin to spin very quickly around their axis, literally twisting pieces of meat from the victim’s body.
Black caimans breed from September to January. The female builds a nest in which she lays approximately 30 to 65 eggs. She camouflages her nest with all kinds of vegetation. The crocodile protects her clutch, because many animals are not averse to eating eggs.
Incubation of eggs lasts, depending on temperature, from approximately 42 to 90 days. The sex of the cubs also depends on the temperature in the nest. Crocodile eggs are quite different from the eggs of other reptiles. They have a fairly hard shell and are perhaps more like the eggs of birds than other reptiles. And this is not surprising, because crocodiles are the closest relatives of birds and... dinosaurs.
Helps small crocodiles hatch special device at the tip of their snout, called an egg tooth. The mother often helps her babies by gently biting the egg with her massive jaws. Young caimans are brighter in color than adults. With age, their color fades and acquires a dark shade characteristic of black caimans. Small caimans have a lot of enemies - they are in danger literally from everywhere. They can become prey for birds, lizards, fish, other caimans, etc. Therefore, the mother jealously guards them and woe to those who fall under her hot... jaws. Representatives of the order of crocodiles are the only reptiles that take care of their offspring even after they have hatched from the eggs. After all, crocodiles are the most highly organized among all representatives of their class.
The adult black caiman has virtually no enemies in its habitat, except, of course, humans.
I don’t know exactly how long black caimans can live. But in general, the life expectancy of crocodiles is about the same as that of humans. IN wildlife There are many factors that influence the lifespan of crocodiles, so animals have the greatest chance of living to a ripe old age in captivity.
Today, there are approximately 25-50 thousand black caimans living in the wild.

Classification:

Class: Reptilia (reptiles, or reptiles)
Order: Crocodilia (crocodiles)
Family: Alligatoridae (alligators)
Subfamily: Caimaninae (caimans)
Genus: Melanosuchus (black caimans)
Species: Melanosuchus niger (black caiman)

Photos:

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