https://animals.net/caiman/
Very interesting read. Many things about caimans are interesting:
Interesting Facts About the Caiman
Many people think that because caimans are reptiles, they are uninteresting animals with very simple behaviors and lifestyles. However, they live in a range of habitats, and have evolved some very interesting characteristics.
Scutes – Caimans are armor-plated, which means that parts of their bodies are covered in bony plates or scales, overlaid with horn. These are called “scutes.”
Calcium Rivets – There are calcium rivets on the scutes of caimans, which makes their hide stiffer than alligators and crocodiles, and therefore less valuable to humans.
Color Changing – Some species, such as the common caiman, have a limited capability to change color. This ability is called “metachrosis.”
Sex Determination – The temperature in the nest determines the sex of baby caimans.
Summer Hibernation – In particularly dry summers or droughts, the caiman may dig a burrow, seal it, and go into a form of summer hibernation called “aestivation.”
Habitat of the Caiman
Caiman are aquatic reptiles that live in rivers, marshes, swamps, lakes, and mangroves. They usually prefer still or slowly-moving freshwater habitats, but some species will tolerate faster, brackish. or even saltwater habitats.
Distribution of the Caiman
Wild caimans are found naturally only in South and Central America. However, they are also kept as pets, and in zoos worldwide. They exist in other areas where they have escaped from farms or been released by pet owners who were no longer able to take care of them.
Diet of the Caiman
Young caimans eat amphibians, small fishes, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and snails. Adults tend to eat larger vertebrates, such as medium-sized mammals (e.g. wild boar, capybaras), big fish, reptiles, and birds. If the climate becomes very dry, and their hunting water becomes shallow, they sometimes start to eat each other (cannibalism).
Caiman and Human Interaction
The main predators of caimans are humans, who hunt them for skin and meat, and also collect their eggs. This has severely reduced the numbers of some caiman species. They are also prone to deforestation and habitat degradation. Caimans sometimes inhabit commercial fish ponds, livestock water sources, or attack livestock, which makes them a problem species.
http://factanimal.com/caiman/
caimans do not have a bony septum between their nostrils. In addition, their teeth are longer and sharper than an alligator.
In comparison to crocodiles, caimans are smaller, and have a U-shaped snout, rather than a V-shape. Crocodiles can also be found all over the world, while caimans are only found in Central and South America.
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Apparently the heavy armour, and its location, makes them relatively less valuable to human hunters. Also, they are relatively docile and will probably leave you alone if you leave them alone. Still, they are nocturnal, so ... DON'T GO SLEEPING AROUND!
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