The Black Caiman, or Melanosuchus niger, is an amazing reptile found in the Amazon Rainforest. The densely vegetated forest floor of this tropical rainforest in South America helps the Black Caiman survive.

    The Black Caiman is very similar to the American Alligator, and as most reptiles, it is found in many freshwater habitats. The Black Caiman is found in rivers, streams, lakes, and flooded savannahs and wetlands, and as most reptiles they have a very unique description.

    The Black Caiman can grow to about 20 feet. They have a black, scaly skin, and a bony ridge over the eyes. This animal also has gray or brown banding on the lower jaw, and a narrow snout. Their snout is about 24 inches long, and it has a scaly skin. The Black Caiman's large snout helps them to hold large animals in their mouth, and it also gives them the ability to open their mouth very wide. The Black Caiman's 75 teeth are of great help to him when having to eat.

    The Black Caiman hunts at night, and they hunt more on land. They eat fish, birds, turtles, reptiles, mammals, vertebrates, piranhas, catfish, Capybara, and rodents. Black Caiman use their teeth to catch their prey, but they don’t tear it apart, they swallow it whole. Young Black Caimans eat hard-shelled fish and insects. In conclusion, the Black Caiman's adaptations have obliged him to eat many different animals.

    The Black Caiman's physical characteristics and customs have helped him to adapt over time to survive. Their bony backs protect them from other animals who surround them by the way that their backs are very tough, and when an animal tries to get hold of it, it doesn’t cause much harm to the caiman. The Black Caimans have adapted to eating different quantities of food according to how much food is available. There are times when the Black Caiman eats a lot, and there are times when they almost don’t have any food or water. The Black Caiman's black skin color helps the caiman to maintain its body temperature by the way that it provides them with a thick coating, and its black skin color helps the skin to absorb more heat. It also helps them to camouflage, which helps them to protect themselves from their enemies.

    The Black Caiman has 3 main enemies. The enemies are the jaguar, Anaconda, and man. Jaguars sometimes mistake caimans for logs, and jump on them. When the Black Caiman feels this, it tries to move, but then the jaguar sinks his claws on the Black Caiman, and kills him. Another predator is the Anaconda, who will rarely attack a Black Caiman. When the Anaconda attacks them, they squeeze the Black Caiman very hard, until he dies. The Black Caiman's main enemy is man. Many hunters have hunted it for its skin, which have made the Black Caiman an endangered species.

    The Black Caiman is endangered. Many people have hunted it for its skin, and there are only 253 Black Caimans in the wild. There are only 5 of them in captivity in the whole world. The life span of those few Black Caimans who survive is 40 t0 50 years, and can sometimes reach 80 years. Because of all the hunting, the Black Caiman is now at risk of extinction, and very few Black Caimans are born each year.

    It is very important for the Black Caimans to reproduce in order for them not to go extinct. Male and female Black Caimans mate in the water. Female Black Caimans build a nest that is 5 feet, (1.5 meters across,) and lay 50 to 60 eggs. When females are pregnant, they will not eat until their eggs have hatched. It takes 42 to 90 days for the eggs to hatch. Only a few fraction of the baby Black Caimans in the eggs survive because some of them are eaten by their parents, or by other predators. Other baby Black Caimans are born dead, or if not they die shortly after they are being born due to the lack of food, or to the dangerous environment in which they have to live. When the baby Black Caimans are born, females defend the nest. Females remain close to the nest in order to protect their young. Baby Black Caimans make groups called pods. Because of all the threats the Black Caiman has, reproduction is a very important thing in their lives in order to maintain the species.

    As you all know, the Black Caiman is in serious risk of extinction. It will be a great loss to the rainforest if this animal becomes extinct. The Black Caiman controls the population of a great variety of animals by hunting them for his meal. It is also one of the few amazing species in the rainforest that still exist. They usually don’t attack humans, but if a human enters their territory, the Black Caiman will probably attack him. People should stop hunting Black Caimans in order for this beautiful animal not to go extinct.
 
 
 
 

Bibliography: http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/subjects/reptiles/caiman/Blackcaiman.shtml

http://www.lisle.dupage.k12.il.us/Schiesher/black%20caiman%20by%20ricky.htm

http://www.pbs.org/edens/manu/reptiles.htm

http://www.lisle.dupage.k12.il.us/Schiesher/black%20caiman%20by%20ricky.htm