Yacare caiman

Yacare caiman
Mato Grosso, Brazil
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Archosauromorpha
Clade:	Archosauriformes
Order:	Crocodilia
Family:	Alligatoridae
Genus:	Caiman
Species:	C. yacare
Binomial name
Caiman yacare Daudin, 1802
Range (green)

The yacare caiman (Caiman yacare, jacaré in Portuguese) is a species of caiman found in central South America, including northeastern Argentina, Uruguay, southeastern Peru, eastern Bolivia, central/southwest Brazil, and the rivers of Paraguay. About 10 million individual yacare caimans exist within the Brazilian pantanal, representing what is quite possibly the largest single crocodilian population on Earth.

Description

As a small and medium-sized crocodilian, most adult males grow to roughly 2 or 2.5 m (6.6 or 8.2 ft) in length, with the occasional 3 m (9.8 ft) individual. Females are much smaller, at an average of 1.4 m (4.6 ft). Body mass in this species can range up to 58 kg (128 lb) in males and from 14 to 23 kg (31 to 51 lb) in females. Their relatively smaller size makes them a potential prey of the jaguar and anaconda.

This species' diet consists primarily of fish (especially piranha) as well as birds, reptiles and small mammals. Occasional large mammals (especially capybara) are taken by larger adults. In general, due to their size, this species is not considered to pose a serious danger to humans.

Gallery

• 
  Juvenile, about one month old
  The Pantanal, Brazil
• 
  Pantanal, Brazil
• 
  Formosa Province, Argentina
• 
  The Pantanal, Brazil
• 
  Juvenile with wood stork
  The Pantanal, Brazil
• 
  Wetland alligator heart
• 
  Taxidermied specimen

External links

• Caiman yacare at the U. of Florida
• http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=yacar%C3%A9