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 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 of aquatic plants, and floating islands of 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, other larger crocodiles. Caimans' eggs are often eaten by large terrestrial tegu lizards.

Nutrition

The main food of crocodile caimans is shellfish, freshwater crabs, fish, amphibians, small reptiles, water birds and mammals. Larger males can also grab larger prey - 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. 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 at a young age are kept 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.

Other names: crocodile caiman, spectacled caiman.

In the past, these amazing animals had powerful religious significance. In some ancient Egyptian cults dating back to 1800 BC, crocodiles were believed to be relatives of a crocodile-headed god called "Sebek" and were the object of worship. On the islands of the Indo-Pacific region, the relationship between man and crocodile was more tragic and bloody. On the island of Timor, a virgin girl was sacrificed to crocodiles every year. In our time, in modern society, sacrifices like this are no longer made, and the cult of the crocodile has lost its significance. Many cultures had similar cults, giving crocodiles the bad reputation they still have today.

Area: The crocodile caiman is distributed in Central and South America: from Chiapas in the north to the mouth of the Paraná in the south. The species is registered in the following countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Tobago, Trinidad, United States, Venezuela. In this vast territory, the caiman forms 3-5 subspecies.

Description: The spectacled caiman has a typical crocodile appearance with a relatively long snout that is tapered at the front. By appearance, thanks to the special structure skin and outgrowths on the head, the caiman most closely resembles prehistoric monster. The bony outgrowths located on the head between and around the eyes resemble glasses, hence the first name of the caiman - “spectacled”. Like other members of the family, caimans have a transparent membrane that protects their eyes when diving if they are open underwater.
In adult individuals, through holes are formed to accommodate the large (first and fourth) teeth of the lower jaw (in the premaxillary bone in front of the nostrils and in the area of ​​the suture between the premaxillary and maxillary bones). Often, the outer wall of the skull is destroyed on one or both sides, forming not pits, but notches in the edges of the upper jaw to accommodate the fourth teeth of the lower jaw. This gives the skull an appearance common to the skulls of real crocodiles, which led to another specific name for the species: crocodile. In total, caimans have from 72 to 78 teeth.

Color: The general tone of the body varies from light brown to chestnut, against which there are 4 to 5 dark brown transverse stripes on the body and 7-8 on the tail. Many caimans have large dark brown spots on both sides of the lower jaw that are clearly visible. Eye color ranges from ocher to light brown.
Juveniles have a camouflage (protective) yellowish-green coloration with black spots along the belly and base of the tail, gradually changing to a matte olive green color.
The caiman, like a chameleon, has the amazing ability to change body color, especially if its temperature drops. In this case, the black pigment cells expand, as a result of which the caiman’s body darkens significantly, acquiring a dark olive-brown color.

Size: Animals reach a length of 2.4-2.7 m, but usually most individuals do not exceed 200 cm. Male caimans are a third larger than females and differ from them by a slightly wider head and tail.

Voice: Small caimans make a short, creaking croaking sound (“kraaaaa”) when displeased or in danger. Older animals make a hoarse, long hissing sound that can be roughly described as one extended “sh”. Reptiles in most cases repeat this hissing repeatedly, after which the small mouth remains wide open for some time and only then very slowly closes.
Adult animals regularly “bark”, really loudly.

Habitat: The crocodile caiman is common throughout its range, where it inhabits tropical and subtropical water bodies, especially those heavily overgrown with vegetation. He prefers quiet shores and is more often found in swamps and small rivers. It also feels comfortable in lakes and ponds, and is also found even in brackish water.
Caimans prefer to rest and hide among floating vegetation. Therefore, it is not without reason that floating islands formed from water hyacinths play an important role in the distribution of these animals. (Eichhornia) and other plants, sometimes reaching significant sizes (over 900 m2) and often carried downstream of rivers. These floating islands ("mats") provide shelter for young caimans and can transport them long distances and into the open sea. Spectacled caimans are tolerant of brackish water, which allowed them to spread from the continent of America to some islands close to the mainland: Trinidad, the Gorgon and Gorgonilla islands off the western coast of Colombia. Sometimes these caimans were found in the sea near the coast.

Enemies: Eggs are often eaten by lizards, such as Tupinambis spp., which destroy the nest completely and often damage up to a quarter of all nests.

Food: In the wild, crocodile caimans feed on almost any living organism that is available in a given area and for a given age of the caiman.
Juveniles feed mainly on aquatic insects. As the percentage increases

Geographical encyclopedia

- (Guinean). Genus of crocodile. Dictionary foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. CAYMAN Guinean. Genus of crocodile. Explanation of 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

caiman- ah, m. caiman m. Spanish caiman caribbean acayouman. Genus of crocodile, alligator. Sl. 18. Indian Crocodiles are called Caymans. Sl. nat. ist. 1 238. It would be so good to swim in the sea, if from time to time it didn’t appear above the water... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

A member of the alligator family. Includes three genera: Caimans (Cayman) Black caimans (Melanosuchus) Smooth-faced caimans (Paleosuchus) ... Wikipedia

Noun, number of synonyms: 3 alligator (6) crocodile (14) reptile (63) ... Synonym dictionary

Caiman- about va on the N.W. Caribbean Sea, West Indies. Discovered by Columbus in 1503 and named Tortugas tortoiseshells (Spanish: tortuga turtle). But already from the 1530s. they began to be called Caiman crocodiles. The appearance of this name is associated with a misunderstanding: for... ... Toponymic dictionary

See Alligator... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

Crocodile caiman, maintenance, feeding, reproduction, photo. - 4.8 out of 5 based on 8 votes

Crocodile caiman

The crocodile caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is a species of caiman, a member of the Alligatoridae family. A small crocodile with a rather long snout, narrowed in front. Males reach 2-2.5 m, females - no more than 1.4 m. Young caimans are yellow in color with black spots and stripes throughout the body; adults are olive green. Able to change their color slightly. On the head, between the anterior corners of the eye sockets, there is a transverse ridge. There are three rows of large occipital scutes on the neck. Natural habitats: various freshwater bodies of water, some subspecies go to the ocean.

A temporary 200 liter aquarium with a shore is suitable for a young crocodile. They become adults by the age of four to seven years - during this time it is quite possible to build the necessary aquaterrarium. For an adult crocodile caiman, the total volume of the aquaterrarium should be about 1000 liters, which should include a pool with a depth of about 40 cm (for young animals at least 10 cm) and a shore that should be heated and freely accommodate the animal. Land is of greatest importance for the reproduction of reptiles. If it is not possible to create an island, the pond is made shallow, or a piece of driftwood is placed so that the animal can sit with its muzzle sticking out of the water. Since crocodiles cannot swallow prey underwater due to the absence of lips. Under normal conditions, a special valve prevents water from flowing into the body cavity. When swallowing food, it has to be opened, and if the crocodile swallows under water, it will simply choke. It is not convenient for a caiman to swallow prey while afloat.

The temperature should be 25-35° C with a water temperature of 22-25° C. These can be incandescent lamps (installed on top and directed downwards) or mirror lamps, which can provide local “spot” heating. It is advisable to install heating in such a way as to ensure a temperature difference. It is also desirable to have lighting that contains soft ultraviolet in the spectrum with a wavelength of 290-320 nm ( ultraviolet radiation zone B). In nature, crocodiles receive quite a lot of ultraviolet radiation, which they need for normal absorption of minerals and is especially important for young animals. They are irradiated daily for a week - the crocodile should “sunbathe” for one to five minutes, and sessions are best carried out on dry skin. In the summer, at a temperature not lower than +25 degrees, you can walk a domestic caiman - take it out for an hour or half an hour in a sunny place protected from the wind.

To make an aquaterrarium, thick glass should be used, otherwise animals may break it with their tails. Equipment (filters and heaters) must be rigidly and firmly fixed, and electrical wiring elements must be protected from access by animals, otherwise a broken wire can cause a lot of trouble. Good ventilation should also be provided.

Caring for a caiman in a finished terrarium is quite simple, especially if its pool has a water drainage system to avoid unnecessary contact with the crocodile. Changing the water once a week is usually sufficient, but this depends on feeding and the presence of a filter in the pool. Pure water is an important maintenance condition, therefore it is necessary to provide an active water filtration system and its regular replacement.

The most tame crocodile can bite completely unexpectedly, without warning - from a completely seemingly motionless state. It's better to get thick gloves. Despite their apparent clumsiness, crocodiles are very agile, especially in water. But even on land, caimans can be very active, the animals run quickly and are even able to jump; if the support supports them, they can climb stones and snags. In addition to sharp teeth, crocodiles have another powerful weapon- tail. The tail strikes are very strong. The most dangerous position is when you are on the side of the crocodile. First is the tail strike zone; secondly, the animal does not rush forward, but on its side. So you are in double jeopardy. If the animal decides to defend itself, it will strike with its tail; and if it wants to have lunch, it will use its teeth.

Feeding the caimans

The most dangerous procedure is feeding. The animal should not see your hand holding the food. Otherwise, the reptile will develop a clear reflex to the hand with food - it will react to the hand as if it were food. Therefore, it is recommended to feed with long tweezers, a stick, or simply throw food near the animal. A crocodile can develop different taste preferences: eat one, but refuse another type of food. You should not follow the animal’s lead; after missing several feedings, it will begin to consume the food offered. Moreover, crocodiles can go hungry for a long time.

The feeding frequency of crocodile caimans depends on temperature (the warmer it is, the more it eats and vice versa) and age. Young animals eat more often, almost every day. As they grow, the daily amount of food increases, and the frequency of feedings is reduced to one to two times a week. By limiting feeding, you can regulate the growth of animals and ultimately get a crocodile of reduced size. This method must be used carefully, avoiding exhaustion and vitamin deficiencies.

The diet of an adult caiman is as follows: pieces fresh meat, fish (without pieces of bones, otherwise it could end very sadly for the caiman); fed alive to rats, shellfish, fish, mammals,
It is better to feed newborns only with frogs, insects, mice, chickens, as well as large insects (locusts, large species of cockroaches) and mollusks (Achatina, Ampularia). The main thing is that the food items are healthy.

Vitamin and mineral preparations are necessarily added to the feed, which, in combination with ultraviolet irradiation, are necessary for normal growth and disease prevention. Once a month it is good to give multivitamins and mineral supplements(“Reptiminiral”, “Reptical”, “Reptovit” and others).

Reproduction of crocodile caimans

By the age of four to seven years, crocodile caimans become sexually mature. Mating and egg laying occur throughout the year. Before laying, the female builds a nest with a diameter of about 1.5 m and a height of 20-25 cm. The clutch contains 15-30 eggs measuring 63-38 mm. The duration of incubation at a temperature of 30-32°C is 80-86 days. During this period, it is better not to disturb the females. They actively guard their nest and can be extremely aggressive. The young are born with a total length of about 20 cm and readily eat insects, frogs and newborn mice.

When preparing for breeding, be sure to give the female a course of radiation and give vitamin preparations containing vitamin “E” with the food. A variety of materials for nest construction should be placed on the shore - leaves, small branches, moss. After the babies hatch, they should be separated from the adults.

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