Spectacled crocodile. Caiman crocodile. Caiman lifestyle and habitat. Diet of crocodile caimans

Crocodile caimans are members of the spectacled caimans, a family of alligators. The range of these reptiles covers South and Central America: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador Guatemala, Guyana, Ecuador, Cuba, Tobago, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Trinidad, Venezuela and the United States. This vast territory is home to 5 subspecies of crocodile caimans.

Appearance of crocodile caimans

Crocodile caimans reach 2.4-2.7 meters in length, but mostly individuals are found measuring about 2 meters.

Males are about a third larger than females in size, and they also have a wider head and tail.

These reptiles have a typical appearance for crocodiles, with a narrowed and relatively long muzzle. There are bony outgrowths on the throat and between the eyes. There is a transparent membrane over the eyes that protects the eyes when the caiman goes underwater.

The crocodile caiman's mouth contains between 72 and 78 teeth. First and fourth teeth in lower jaw In adults, they are large, so the upper jaw has notches, making the skull look like the skull of real crocodiles.

The general color of the body can be light brown or chestnut; against this background, about 5 transverse dark brown stripes and 7-8 stripes on the tail stand out on the body. Dark brown large spots are clearly visible on both sides of the lower jaw. The eyes may be light brown or ocher in color.

The young animals have a camouflage coloring, yellow-green, with black spots running along the belly and tail, which gradually become olive-green.

Crocodile caimans, like chameleons, can change body color; this occurs due to the expansion of black cells, as a result of which the body becomes darker - olive-brown.

The ability of crocodile caimans to make sounds

Small individuals make a creaking croaking sound when in danger or when displeased. Older individuals are able to emit a hoarse hiss. After hissing, the caiman still leaves its mouth wide open for some time, and closes it very slowly.
Adult crocodile caimans “bark” loudly.

Habitat of crocodile caimans

Crocodile caimans inhabit subtropical and tropical waters, which are heavily overgrown with vegetation. They prefer bodies of water with a quiet current, are most often found in swamps, ponds and lakes, and can even live in brackish water.

They hide and rest among floating plants. In their distribution great importance play floating skeletons of water hyacinths, which can be about 900 square meters. Such islands are carried away by the current and serve as a home for young crocodile caimans.

Diet of crocodile caimans

Crocodile caimans eat almost any living organism that is present in their habitat. Young caimans mostly feed on aquatic insects, but with age, crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and amphibians begin to predominate in their diet. In some places they become victims in large numbers. Some scientists believe that crocodile caimans regulate the number of piranhas.

Adult crocodile caimans will attack any living creature that they can eat: although for the most part they feed on reptiles, amphibians and birds, they can attack more large mammals, for example, on and peccary pigs. During periods of drought, crocodile caimans stop feeding. Crocodile caimans are characterized by cannibalism.

Crocodile caimans are often kept in captivity, where they are fed freshwater fish, mice, chickens, rabbits, mealworm larvae, crickets, chicks, squid and the like.

Subspecies of crocodile caimans

Caiman crocodilus crocodilus is a major subspecies found in Venezuela, Guiana and the lower Amazon;
Caiman crocodilus fuscus is a northern subspecies found in Central America and Mexico;
Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis is a subspecies living in Colombia;
Caiman crocodilus yacare – the southern subspecies lives from southern Brazil to southern Bolivia;
Caiman crocodilus paraguayensis - lives in Paraguay;
Caiman crocodilus matogrossiensis is found in Brazil.

Behavior of crocodile caimans

All caimans show aggressive disposition, but crocodile caimans are often kept in captivity, they even get used to the people who look after them and trust them. In this regard, crocodile caimans are considered most suitable for keeping in zoos and terrariums. In nature, they become most aggressive during the dry season, when they go hungry for a long time, at which time they exhibit cannibalism.

Among the crocodile caimans there is a certain social hierarchy. Males stick to their own areas and fight with trespassers. Weaker males can live in the territory of the dominant individual, but they have a much lower chance of reproducing.

Reproduction of crocodile caimans

Sexual maturity in crocodile caimans occurs at approximately 5 years. Males are capable of reproduction at a body length of 140-160 centimeters, and females - when they reach a body length of 120-150 centimeters.

These reptiles reproduce throughout all year round, but the peak occurs during the rainy season. In Colombia, peak breeding occurs between January and March, while in other areas the mating season lasts from May to August.

During wet season females make nests near the water; in more rare cases, they dig small holes in the sand. One female can make several nests to increase the survival rate of the young. Females often make common nests and, through joint efforts, protect them most reliably from predators. One female brings an average of 25 eggs, but their number can vary from 15 to 40. Crocodile caimans are characterized by sex dependence temperature conditions: A cold nest produces more females, and a warm nest produces more males.

Incubation period lasts 75-90 days. During this time, the female protects the nest as she hunts for eggs. a large number of predators, especially lizards, which destroy about 80% of clutches. When it's time for the babies to hatch, the female digs up the nest and helps the babies get out of it.

Small caimans remain with their mother, who prevents predators from approaching them. One female can protect babies from several nests, and hierarchical relationships are established between the teenagers. Although the females take good care of the little caimans, most of of them dies.

Population status of the crocodile caiman

The greatest harm to the crocodile caiman population comes from the destruction of their habitat. In addition, a huge number of caimans are destroyed by poachers, although the skin of crocodile caimans is not valued, since it is not suitable for tanning, these reptiles are caught because they are popular for keeping in captivity. Many species of lizards eat caiman eggs, and they can destroy the entire clutch.

Caimans are a thriving reptile species, with numbers ranging around 100,000 individuals. For the caimans, hunting crocodiles turned out to be profitable, since poachers saved them from food competitors.

Today, caimans are also targeted by poachers, but they survive well, perhaps due to the fact that basically all caimans are small, and poachers hunt the largest individuals. So the crocodile caimans are on this moment are out of danger.

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One of the few that have survived to this day, having passed through centuries-old history. Thousands of years BC, the Egyptian people worshiped the crocodile, considering it the closest relative of the god Sebek.

On the Pacific islands, the inhabitants of that time, in order to protect themselves from these animals, sacrificed a virgin every year. There were a large number of different cult organizations that worshiped crocodiles.

Nowadays, these are simple predators, in some way nature's orderlies, eating sick and weak animals, as well as their corpses. Caimans are the only reptile that closely resembles their prehistoric, extinct ancestors.

Description of the caiman

Cayman called crocodile belonging to the alligator family. They grow from one to three meters in length, and the length of its tail and body are the same. The caiman's skin along the entire body is covered with parallel rows of horny scutes.

The reptile's eyes are yellow-brown. Caimans have a protective eye membrane, thanks to which, when immersed in water, they do not close them.

On photo crocodile cayman It can be seen that the animals are of different colors, from light olive to dark brown. They have the ability to change their shade depending on the temperature environment and, accordingly, bodies. The cooler the temperature, the darker their skin.

An amazing feature of adult caimans is the sounds they make. They often hiss, opening their mouths wide, but that’s not all. They can also bark naturally, like...

Difference Caymans from alligators and crocodiles is that due to the lack of eye glands that regulate water-salt balance, almost all of them live in fresh water.

They also have different jaw structures; caimans are not as large and sharp as crocodiles. The upper jaw of caimans is smaller, therefore, the lower one is slightly pushed forward. There are bony plates on their belly, which crocodiles do not have.

Habitat and lifestyle of the caiman

Caymans live in densely overgrown rivers, reservoirs, swamps with quiet and calm banks. They do not like deep-water rivers with large currents. Their favorite hobby, bury yourself in aquatic vegetation and meditate for hours.

They also love to eat, because they have trouble resting on an empty stomach. Young caymans mostly eat invertebrates, various midges, insects and bugs.

As they grow up, they switch to meatier food, such as crustaceans, crabs, small fish, and toads. There is an opinion that the number of piranha fish is regulated by caimans. Adults eat everything that breathes and moves - reptiles, mammals.

But, no matter how terrifying the appearance of reptiles, they have their enemies. First of all, of course, people, poachers, despite all the prohibitions, continue their fishing.

And in nature - lizards, they destroy the nests of caiman crocodiles, stealing and eating their eggs. Jaguars, giant anacondas and large otters attack young individuals.

By nature, caimans are very angry and aggressive. Especially with the onset of periods of drought, reptiles at this time live from hand to mouth, and situations of attack on humans have occurred.

They can easily attack a weaker caiman, tear it apart and eat it. Or throw yourself at an animal larger and stronger than the caiman itself.

Seeing prey, the reptile inflates, visually becoming large sizes, than it actually is, hisses and then attacks. When they hunt in water, they hide in the thickets, quietly swim up to the prey, and then quickly attack.

On land the caiman too good hunter, since in pursuit, he develops higher speed and easily catches up with prey.

Types of caimans

There are several species of crocodile caimans, differing from each other in some characteristics.

Crocodile or spectacled caiman – usually its representatives live in fresh waters, but they have subspecies that migrate to the oceanic expanses.

Spectacled caimans are medium in size, females are one and a half meters long, males are slightly larger. They have a long mouth, narrowed towards the end, and between the eyes, across the muzzle, there is a ridge resembling a spectacle frame.

Brown caiman – he is American, he is also dark caiman. Lives in fresh and salt waters of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatimala, Mexico and Handuras. The reptiles were listed in the Red Book due to mass catches by poachers and the destruction of their homes.

Dwarf caiman – they love fast-flowing rivers tropical forests. These species lead a more terrestrial lifestyle, unlike their relatives, and move freely from one body of water to another. To rest on the way and digest food, reptiles rest in a hole.

Paraguayan caiman, Jacare or piranha - it has a distinctive tooth structure. On the lower jaw they are so long that they extend beyond the upper jaw, making holes in it. This caiman is listed in the Red Book and in its habitat there are many crocodile farms to save and increase their numbers.

Black caiman lives in hard-to-reach reservoirs and swamps. He is the largest, most predatory and terrible species of the entire family. It is dark, almost black in color. These are large individuals, reaching five meters in length and four hundred kilograms in weight.

Wide-faced or Brazilian caiman- lives in Argentine, Paraguayan, Bolivian, Brazilian waters. Thanks to its physiological feature- large and wide muzzle, the animal received the corresponding name.

All along this huge mouth there are rows of bone scutes. The back of the animal is protected by a layer of ossified scales. Cayman is dirty Green colour. Its body length is just over two meters.

Reproduction and lifespan of caimans

Caimans live territorially, each of them has the largest and strongest male, who either drives out the weaker ones or allows them to live somewhere quietly on the edge. Accordingly, smaller individuals also have less chance of reproduction and procreation.

When males grow more than one and a half meters, and females are slightly smaller, this is approximately the sixth or seventh year of life, they are already sexually mature individuals.

With the onset of the rainy season, the breeding season begins. Females diligently build nests near a pond for laying eggs. Rotten leaves, twigs, and lumps of dirt are used.

They may dig a burrow in the sand, or lay on floating islands of aquatic vegetation. The female lays from fifteen to fifty eggs in one place, or divides the clutch into several nests.

It also happens that females place all their eggs in one large nest, then take turns actively guarding it from external enemies. Protecting her offspring, the mother crocodile is ready to attack even a jaguar.

To support desired temperature in a homemade incubator, mothers from time to time either sprinkle it or remove excess so that it does not get too hot.

They even, if necessary, carry water in their mouths to water the eggs if there is not enough moisture there. The offspring are born almost three months later.

The sex of the future cubs depends on the temperature in the nest. If it was cold there, then girls will be born, but if it is warm, then males will be born.

Before the babies appear, the female is nearby to help the newborns get to the water as quickly as possible. Babies are born twenty centimeters, with big eyes and snub noses. By the end of the first year of life they grow to sixty cm.

Then, for four months, the mother carefully looks after both her own and other people’s babies. Afterwards, the children are ready for independent life, climb onto floating carpets of geocinths and leave parents' house forever.

Alligators and crocodiles live from thirty to fifty years. There are extreme sports enthusiasts who wouldn’t mind purchasing something like this for their terrarium. unusual pet.

The calmest of the caimans is the crocodile. But experts strongly do not recommend doing this without having necessary knowledge about their behavior and habits.

Taxonomy

Russian name – Crocodile or spectacled caiman

Latin name: Caiman crocodilus

English title – Spectacled caiman

Class – Reptiles or Reptiles (Reptilia)

Order – Crocodiles (Crocodylia)

Family – Alligators (Alligatoridae)

Genus – Spectacled caimans (Caiman)

There are 3-4 subspecies, differing in color, size and outline of the skull.

Conservation status

By international status belongs to the category of species whose existence in nature causes the least concern. However, the species is included in Appendix II of CITES, i.e. The trade in crocodile caimans must be controlled. The number of different subspecies in different countries different. The crocodile caiman is protected in Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela, and hunting is restricted in Colombia and Panama.

Species and man

Like most crocodiles, the crocodile caiman is hunted for its famous “crocodile skin.” True, due to the abdominal scutes (osteoderms), only the skin from the sides of the animal is suitable for dressing, which saved the crocodile caiman from extermination. Intensive hunting of these caimans began after the 1950s, when other crocodile species were almost wiped out. Nowadays, crocodile caimans are successfully bred on farms. Currently, natural populations of crocodile caimans are quite stable due to the high adaptability of the species, the extermination of other crocodiles (enemies and competitors) by humans and the increase in the area of ​​artificial reservoirs.

Distribution and habitats

The range of the crocodile caiman is much wider than that of all other members of the alligator family. It occupies the Central and South America from Mexico to Brazil and Peru. There are introduced (brought) populations of crocodile caimans in Cuba and the USA (Florida).

This caiman prefers calm lakes, swamps, and banks of tributaries. big rivers With slow flow. It does not avoid brackish waters, which gave it the opportunity to spread throughout the Caribbean islands, including the islands of Trinidad and Tabago.

Appearance

The crocodile caiman is a medium-sized alligator, with a rather long, narrowed snout and large teeth (there can be from 72 to 78). The length of males is 1.8-2 m, females 1.2-1.4 m. The maximum recorded size is 2.2 m. The body weight of adult individuals ranges from 7 to 40 kg. The skull is similar in appearance to that of real crocodiles, which is why caimans got their name. And the bony outgrowths on the head between and around the eyes resemble glasses, which gave rise to the second name of this caiman.

Almost all the skin on the body of the crocodile caiman is covered with dense rows of large scutes. This “armor” protects caimans from both predators and humans. Since such skin is very difficult to tan, crocodile caimans were destroyed less than other crocodiles.

Juvenile crocodile caimans are yellow with black spots and stripes all over their bodies; adults are olive green. They are able to change color slightly using special cells in the skin, e.g. cold weather the caimans are becoming darker.

Lifestyle

The entire life of crocodile caimans is associated with wet lowlands near bodies of water, most often stagnant. They love to hide in dense thickets aquatic plants, and floating islands from various plants, which not only provide shelter for young crocodiles, but can also transport them over long distances, including across the sea.

An important role in daily activity crocodile caimans plays solar radiation. Usually, at the hottest time of the day, caimans dive into the water (at a water temperature of 29-300), and in the evening they come ashore, where they remain almost the entire night. Thus, thanks to behavioral thermoregulation, body temperature remains fairly stable - 30-330 during the day, 26-300 at night.

In severe drought, caimans bury themselves in the mud at the bottom of a reservoir or in the forest floor.

There is an opinion among scientists that crocodile caimans play a large role in local aquatic biocenoses, as they regulate the number predatory piranhas, don't let them multiply too much.

In nature, crocodile caimans have quite a few enemies. These are jaguars, large anacondas, others more large crocodiles. Caiman eggs are often eaten by large terrestrial tegu lizards.

Nutrition

The main food of crocodile caimans is shellfish, freshwater crabs, fish, amphibians, small reptiles, aquatic birds and mammals. Larger males can grab more big catch– wild pigs, anacondas. There are known cases of cannibalism, i.e. eating members of their own species. Young caimans feed mainly on aquatic invertebrates.

In general, the diet of crocodile caimans is quite diverse, and in different parts range, there is significant food selectivity of these crocodiles.

Vocalization

Crocodile caimans are quite "talkative" animals, and their "conversational" repertoire changes with age. When in danger, small crocodiles make a short creaking croaking sound, older animals hiss, and adults “bark” loudly.

Reproduction

Male and female crocodile caimans become sexually mature between 4 and 7 years of age, with body sizes of 1.4 m and 1.2 m, respectively. Growth rate Mating season lasts from May to August. After mating, the female builds a nest in dense vegetation from rotting plants, where she lays from 15 to 40 eggs covered with a hard calcined shell. Sometimes several females lay eggs in one nest. The incubation period lasts from 65 to 100 days, with an average of 90 days, depending on local conditions. All this time, the female remains near the nest, driving potential enemies away from it. The hatched cubs stay close to the female for some time.

Lifespan

There is no exact information about the lifespan of crocodile caimans, but it is estimated to be 30-40 years.

Since crocodile caimans are relatively small alligators, they are quite regularly found at a young age in private collections. Unfortunately, very often the owners of such collections try to get rid of the caimans as soon as they grow up, sometimes even throwing them into the nearest bodies of water, dooming them to certain death. The Moscow Zoo has repeatedly been forced to accept such grown-up caimans in order to save their lives and provide them with decent living conditions. Now in the Exotarium pavilion, visitors to our zoo can see one of these forced migrants on display.

Most people associate the word “caiman” with a small crocodile, which is not entirely correct: along with small representatives of the genus (1.5-2 m), there are impressive specimens weighing 2 centners, reaching up to 3.5 m.

Description of the caiman

Caimans live in Central/South America and belong to the alligator family. They owe their family name, translated as “crocodile,” to the Spaniards.

Important! Biologists warn that the genus caimans do not include Melanosuchus (black caimans) and Paleosuchus (smooth-fronted caimans).

Types of caimans

Biologists have classified two extinct species of caimans described from fossil remains, as well as three living species:

• Caiman crocodilus – common caiman (with 2 subspecies);
• Caiman latirostris – broad-nosed caiman (no subspecies);
• Caiman yacare is a Paraguayan caiman with no subspecies.

It has been established that caimans are one of the key links in the ecological chain: as their numbers decrease, fish begin to disappear. Thus, they regulate the population of piranhas, which breed intensively where there are no caimans.

Nowadays, caimans (in most of their range) also make up for the natural deficiency of large crocodiles, exterminated due to cruel hunting. The Caimans were saved from destruction... by their skin, which was unsuitable for dressing due to the huge number of keratinized scales. As a rule, caimans are used for harnesses, so they are still bred on farms, passing off the skin as crocodile skin.

Range, habitats

It boasts the most extensive range common caiman, inhabiting the USA and many countries of South / Central America: Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guyana, Guatemala, French Guiana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago and Venezuela.

The spectacled caiman is not particularly attached to bodies of water, and when choosing them, it prefers still water. It usually settles near rivers and lakes, as well as in damp lowlands. It feels great in the rainy season and tolerates drought well. Can spend a couple of days in salt water. During dry seasons, it hides in holes or buries itself in liquid mud.

More compressed range broad-faced caiman. He lives on the Atlantic coast of northern Argentina, Paraguay, the small islands of southeastern Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay. This species (with an exclusively aquatic lifestyle) inhabits mangrove swamps and extensive marshy lowlands with fresh water. More than other places, the broad-nosed caiman loves slowly flowing rivers in dense forests.

Unlike other species, it tolerates well low temperatures, therefore lives at an altitude of 600 m above sea level. Feels calm near human habitation, for example, on ponds where livestock watering places are located.

The most heat-loving of modern caimans - Yakarsky, whose range covers Paraguay, southern Brazil and northern Argentina. Jacare settles in swamps and wet lowlands, often camouflaging itself in floating green islands. Competing for bodies of water with the broad-faced caiman, it displaces the latter from best places a habitat.

Food, catching caiman

He is not picky about food and devours everyone who does not scare him away with his size. Growing predators eat aquatic invertebrates, including crustaceans, insects and mollusks. Adults switch to vertebrates (fish, reptiles, amphibians and waterfowl).

A seasoned caiman allows itself to hunt larger game, such as wild pigs. This species is known for cannibalism: crocodile caimans usually eat their comrades during periods of drought (in the absence of their usual food).

Favorite dish broad-faced caiman- water snails. Terrestrial mammals There is practically no interest in these caimans.

Caimans become orderlies of reservoirs, clearing them of snails harmful to livestock. Other invertebrates, as well as amphibians and fish, appear on the table less often. Adults feast on meat aquatic turtles, whose shells the caimans crack like nuts.

Paraguayan caiman, like the broad-nosed one, loves to pamper itself with aquatic snails. Occasionally it hunts fish, and even less often – snakes and frogs. Young predators eat only shellfish, only by the age of three they switch to vertebrates.

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  Juvenile caimans are yellow with black spots and stripes throughout the body; adults are olive green. They are able to slightly change their color, which is provided by melanophore cells of the skin. So, in cold weather they become darker. Caiman subspecies vary in coloration, size, and skull outline.

  Spreading

  The crocodile caiman is more widespread than any of the alligators: it is found in Belize. Guatemala and Mexico to Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. Subspecies C. c. fuscus introduced to Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. This caiman is quite tolerant of salt water, which allowed him to move to some islands close to the mainland, including Aruba, St. Maarten, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago .

  Lifestyle

  The crocodile caiman has adapted to living in damp lowlands and near bodies of water, preferring standing water. Floating islands of eichornia ( Eichhornia) and other aquatic plants (the so-called “mats”) - they provide young caimans with shelter and can carry them over long distances and even into the open sea. During drought, caimans usually bury themselves in the mud and hibernate.

  After reducing the number of main natural enemies crocodile caimans - large crocodiles Crocodylus acutus, Crocodylus intermedius and black caiman Melanosuchus niger, their numbers have increased sharply in many areas.

  Nutrition

  The main food of this caiman is shellfish, freshwater crabs, amphibians, small reptiles, small mammals and fish. Large males may sometimes attack larger vertebrates, including mammals - such as wild pigs, or reptiles such as anacondas. There are known cases of cannibalism. Overall, the crocodile caiman is an opportunistic predator with a very flexible diet.

  The Caymans are an important link in ecological system South American tropics; if their numbers decline, fish populations also decline. They also regulate the number of piranhas in rivers, although they are not such specialists in eating piranhas as, for example, yacar caimans.

  Natural enemies

  Due to their small size and lack of strength, crocodile caimans themselves are often preyed upon by jaguars, large anacondas, crocodiles and black caimans.

  Reproduction

  Males and females become sexually mature at the age of 4 to 7 years with a body length of 1.4 m and 1.2 m, respectively. The growth rate and readiness to reproduce in caimans depends on social status- low-ranking males grow more slowly. The mating season lasts from May to August. During the rainy season (July-August), the female builds a nest from rotting plants, usually among thickets. The clutch consists of 15-40 eggs. The female always remains near the nest to drive away enemies; sometimes several females lay eggs in one nest. Tegu lizards ( Tupinambis) hunt caiman eggs and can destroy up to 80% of clutches in an area. Incubation lasts 90 days. After hatching, the cubs stay near their mother for some time.

  Population status

  Due to the ventral osteoderms, crocodile caiman skin is not ideal for processing; Only the leather on the sides is suitable for dressing. These caimans began to be intensively hunted, mainly after extermination in the 1950s. other types of crocodiles. Caiman skin is often passed off as alligator skin; like the latter, caimans are bred on farms. Despite hunting and trapping of these animals, in most areas their population remains fairly stable thanks to high adaptability, extermination by people of other species of crocodiles and an increase in the area of ​​artificial reservoirs.

  The crocodile caiman is listed in Appendix II (subspecies C. c. apaporiensis- in Annex I) of the CITES Convention. Is a protected species in