Yacare Caiman

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The yacare is similar in appearance to Caiman crocodilus, and reaches a total length of 2.5 to 3 m. Like the common caiman, its scales have well-developed osteoderms. The less ossified flanks are used in the skin trade. The teeth are more visible than in the common caiman, whereby certain large teeth in the lower jaw may protrude through the top surface of the upper jaw.

Female yacares build mound nests, into which 21 to 38 eggs are usually laid, which they guard during incubation. Peak eggy-laying is in the middle of the rainy season, hatching occurs in March.

The diet of yacares consists mainly of fish and aquatic invertebrates, in particular snails.

Did you know?
that aquatic snails are an important part of the yacare caiman's diet?

Factsheet
Class	REPTILIA
Order	CROCODYLIA
Suborder	EUSUCHIA
Family	ALLIGATORIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Caiman yacare
Name (English)	Yacare Caiman
Name (French)	Caïman yacare
Name (German)	Brillenkaiman
Name (Spanish)	Yacaré
Local names	Brazil: Jacaré-do-pantanal
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Stan Ahebs

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil , Paraguay , Uruguay
Habitat	Wetlands, rivers and lakes
Wild population	Approx.: 100'000-200'000
Zoo population	39 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 42 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Carla Antonini

Why do zoos keep this animal

The yacaré caiman is currently not threatened with extinction and zoos keep the species primarily for educational purposes and as an ambassador species for their threatened freshwater habitats. As a medium-sized Caiman species, which is not too difficult to keep, it is well suited to represent, also in zoos with limited space and budget, as a keystone species the endangered marsh habitats of its south American range, together with other animals of this region in mixed-species exhibits.

How this animal should be kept

Ideally, caimans should be kept in spacious fenced or moat-like exhibits with natural vegetation. The surrounding fence or moat needs to be strong and have substantial foundations as crocodilians are very good at digging. In temperate or colder climatic zones keeping outdoors may, however, be possible at best during the summer period.

Mostly, the animals will have to be kept in indoor facilities where the following minimum standards should apply: For a pair of adults an enclosure with no less than 12 m² land and 15 m² water surface is required, for each additional adult both, land and water part, are to be enlarged by 3 m². Average water depth 100 cm. The landpart should be structured e.g. by logs, the floor should be covered with sand or gravel. Floor temperature locally 35 ºC (floor heating), air temperature 24-30 ºC, water temperature 25-28 ºC. Humidity 60-80 %. Light phase 12-14 h per day, HQI lamps. Daily ultraviolet irradiation.