Details
Melanosuchus niger
The black caiman is a large crocodilian of the Amazon basin. Its dark color blends with night water as it hunts prey from fish to large animals.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits Neotropical freshwater and savanna wetlands. Large rivers, lakes, flooded forest, and deep wetlands are key habitats.
Length 300-500 cm; weight 200-450 kg. The body is dark with pale crossbands, and the head is large and robust. A powerful tail drives swimming.
Nocturnal and solitary, it waits quietly at the surface. Large adults can range over broad waterways.
A carnivore, it eats fish, turtles, birds, and mammals. Powerful jaws seize prey and pull it into water.
Females build nests, lay eggs, and guard the nest and young. Hatchlings use shallow waters after emergence.
It is listed as Least Concern. Heavy past hunting reduced some populations, but protection has allowed recovery in parts of its range.
