Common name : White caiman, Common caiman
Scientific name : Caiman crocodilus
Family : Alligatoridae
Native to : Central and South America
Interesting fact : Nest temperatures above 32 degrees produce female caimans or vice versa.
Conservation status : Least Concern
A bony ridge connects the eyes of the caiman like a pair of spectacles. Generally olive green, they become darker when cold. Like alligators they have broad and blunt snouts. They prefer rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes, and also tolerate salt water. They eat insects, crustaceans, molluscs, fish and snails. Eggs are laid in rotting plant nests which produce heat for incubation.
