Black Caiman
Black CaimanBlack CaimanBlack CaimanBlack Caiman

Black Caiman

Melanosuchus niger

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
40–50% · Possible
overall probability at Tambopata National Reserve
135 Verified records at Tambopata National Reserve
May Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is a crocodilian reptile endemic to South America. With a maximum length of around 5 to 6.5 m (16 to 21 ft) and a mass of over 450 kg (1,000 lb), it is the largest living species of the family Alligatoridae, and the third-largest crocodilian in the Neotropical realm. True to its common and scientific names, the black caiman has a dark greenish-black coloration as an adult. In some individuals, the pigmentation can appear almost jet-black. It has grey to brown banding on the lower jaw; juveniles have a more vibrant coloration compared to adults, with prominent white-pale yellow banding on the flanks that remains present well into adulthood (more than most other species). The banding on young helps with camouflage by breaking up their body outline, on land or in water, in an effort to avoid predation. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Black Caiman sighting in Tambopata National Reserve, based on 135 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Tambopata National Reserve

Common Caiman
LC

Common Caiman

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Caiman crocodilus

40–50% · Likely
Smooth-fronted Caiman
LC

Smooth-fronted Caiman

🌙 Nocturnal Reptile

Paleosuchus trigonatus

10–20% · With luck
Cuvier's Smooth-fronted Caiman
LC

Cuvier's Smooth-fronted Caiman

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Paleosuchus palpebrosus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
20–30
Feb
30–40
Mar
40–50
Apr
50–60
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
40–50
Aug
40–50
Sep
40–50
Oct
40–50
Nov
30–40
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
40–50%
2 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
40–50%
3 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
40–50%
4 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
30–40%
5 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
10–20%
6 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
7 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
8 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Black Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Black Caiman sighting in Tambopata National Reserve, based on 135 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve?

May has the highest sighting rate for Black Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve in our monthly data.

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