Spectacled Caiman - Five Sisters Zoo

Named for the bony ridge above the eyes that resembles a pair of glasses, the Spectacled Caiman is a member of the crocodilian family which first evolved over 100 million years ago. Caiman’s are a freshwater species that have adapted to a variety of types of habitat, and have even been introduced in several countries where they have thrived and reproduced. The Spectacled Caiman is generally dark green, brown and black in colour with a lighter cream or yellow underbelly and dark eyes.

Facts

Diet: Carnivore; birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish.

Weight: 10-40kg

Length: 1.4-2.5m depending on age and sex

Habitat: Central and South America including Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Nicaragua, Panama and Guyana; swamps, slow-moving rivers, marshes, lakes, mangrove forests, tropical forests, and some man-made water storage areas.

Life Span: Up to 25 years under human care

Adapted to Survive

  • A Gular valve, a piece of tissue that seals the throat off from the mouth, enables the crocodile to breathe through its nostrils while submerged under water
  • Can enter a hibernation-like state when food is scarce to conserve their energy

Threats

  • Poaching for skin and meat
  • Habitat destruction
  • Human encroachment

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern

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