The black caiman can grow up to 5 meters long and is an apex predator in the Amazon, capable of eating anything, including humans if food is scarce.
The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is a fascinating and formidable inhabitant of the Amazon rainforest. Essentially, they will consume anything they can catch. Growing up to 5 meters long, the black caiman is the largest member of the Alligatoridae family. Their skin has a dark green hue, which helps them to blend into the murky waters of the Amazon at night. They inhabit several countries in the Amazon Basin, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and possibly Venezuela.
Black caiman in the Pantanal River, Brazil, with prey in its jaws. (Photo: Wirestock Creators)
In a study published in the journal PLOS One in 2019, expert Stephane Caut from the Donana Biological Station in Spain, along with colleagues, tagged 75 black caimans in French Guiana to better understand their diet. They found that fish made up a significant portion of the black caiman’s diet. However, they also consume a considerable amount of waterbirds and mammals. Although not listed in the study, these prey could include animals such as deer, peccaries, and capybaras.
There is even evidence that black caimans eat jaguars and green anacondas, two other species often regarded as apex predators in the Amazon. The green anaconda, jaguar, and black caiman compete for the top position in the food chain. While black caimans have been documented eating anacondas, it is not unusual for larger anacondas to prey on juvenile black caimans.
Black caiman can grow up to 5m. (Photo: Tristan Barrington Photography).
Humans may also be on their menu when food is scarce. In February 2010, an 11-year-old girl was attacked by a 4.21-meter-long black caiman while swimming with a friend in Rondônia state, Brazil. When police and firefighters arrived, they could not find the girl or the caiman. It wasn’t until around 8 PM that the caiman re-emerged with the victim still in its jaws. The girl tragically lost her life, and the caiman was subsequently shot.
“Caimans approach their targets by utilizing their camouflage before launching a surprise attack and swallowing the entire small prey whole. If the target is a larger animal, it will be dragged to deeper waters and drowned. Afterward, the caiman holds the prey at the riverbed or keeps it trapped in its jaws for a period (still submerged), waiting for the soft tissues to decompose. The caiman then tears the prey apart using a twisting motion of its body, swallowing whole pieces since their teeth are not designed for chewing.” the research states.
In previous decades, the black caiman was classified as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Their decline was primarily due to illegal hunting. They are not only hunted for their meat but also for their skin, which is favored in the fashion industry. Fortunately, scientists believe that they have undergone significant recovery in some areas. However, the IUCN states that more data is needed regarding the conservation status of this species.
