Black Caiman

• It is the top predator of the Amazon basin and the largest caiman species in the world.
• More than 90% of its population was wiped out in a century by hunting for its skin.
• The largest documented males are over 5 metres long.
• conservaciónIt is one of the largest predators in the Amazon basin, and its recovery after decades of intensive hunting is regarded as one of South America's reptile conservation successes.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)

Habitat and environment

Rivers, lakes and floodplains of the Amazon basin

Birth weight

~90-155 grams (egg); hatchling ~30 cm long

Size at birth

30 cm long at hatching

Sexual maturity

4-10 years (mature from ~2 m in length)

Gestation / incubation

60-90 days (some sources give 42-90 days depending on the region)

Litter / clutch size

21 to 75 eggs per clutch (average ~39)

Life expectancy in captivity

Documented record of 40 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Britannica · Reptiles of Ecuador · Dimensions.com · IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group · Animal Diversity Web · AnAge (genomics.senescence.info) · Wikipedia (Black caiman) · AnimalSpot

The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.