Caiman

Caimans are crocodilians native to Central and South America, closely related to alligators. They have armored bodies, strong tails and jaws suited to capturing animal prey. Rivers, swamps and other wetlands provide feeding and shelter, with habitat preferences differing among species. Smaller caimans feed heavily on fish and invertebrates, while larger animals can take more substantial prey. Females build and guard nests in many species. The group ranges from relatively small forest caimans to the much larger black caiman.