Cool Facts About the Spectacled Caiman

Spectacled caimans are not the biggest of crocodiles, but they may be in the best shape. The 4- to 8- foot long species are found in still or slow-moving water habitats around South and Central America. As of 2009, there were over 1 million Spectacled caiman in the wild, so they are listed as a low concern on the conservation status list.

  1. Name

    • The name is an integration of the crocodile's appearance and its Latin name. The word spectacle comes from the small ridge of bone that appears near the eyes that resembles spectacles. Caiman is the first part of the crocodile's Latin name, Caiman crocodilus. They are also known as Caiman blanco, Tinga and Largarto.

    Habitat

    • The Spectacled caiman thrive in marshes, swamps and still-water locations. They have adapted to fresh and salt water. The crocodiles generate body heat by floating on top of the water in the sunlight. If they get too warm they can sink into the depths of the marsh to cool off. If the water conditions are not right, they burrow into muddy banks. While it is challenging to determine their life spans, the website Crocodilian claims the average caiman can live 30 to 70 years.

    Diet

    • While Spectacled caiman typically eat small lizards, water birds and amphibians, it is not unusual for one to eat a full-sized pig or other medium-sized wild animals. The caiman typically hunts at night. It actively pursues prey by using its tail strength to propel itself quickly through the water. In times of drought the crocodiles often refrain from eating altogether until the "wet" season approaches again. If food is rare, it may resort to cannibalism.

    Color

    • There is nothing too unusual about the caiman's dull olive color. Its skin is not really suited to tanning, so it's not of much interest to hunters. In certain and limited circumstances however, the caiman can actually change its color by shifting the black pigment in its melanophore cells. The process, metachrosis, redistributes the color and creates an effective camouflage. According to the Colorado Herpetological Society, the crocodile will do this in response to cold weather.