CAIMAN FOUND EATING A DOG

     

CURACAO AND THE WILD WILD EAST

By: JJosephaNews
Reading Time:  00:45 min.
Twitter: @JJosephaNews

A three (3) meter long; apparently "Black Caiman", weighing less than 250kgs. was discovered near The Ostrich Farm, near Sint Joris on Curacao's "Dam Pretu". 

Dam Pretu is a three-point-two (3.2) kilometer long, fairly popular white doubletrack trail that host hiking, biking, e-biking (up to class 1), mountain biking and trial running. Dam Pretu is located between Kaminda Mitologia and Kaminda Jose Papa Liberia in the Banda Ariba district of Curacao. 

The 4 bended trail of Dam Pretu; dips to 14.8 meters above sea level at its lowest point and raises up to 34 meters above sea level. According to neighbors living near the area; animals like dogs, cats and chickens; have gone missing without a trace for some time now. The caiman was found eating a dog when he was discovered.  

Black Caiman facts:

• Caimans are amphibious reptiles closely related to alligators and crocodiles; however there are no interspecies hybrid among the caiman and these related family. There are 6 species of caiman that can be found in Central and South America, in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, French Guyana.
• The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) may reach a length of at least 5 meters (16 feet) and potentially up to 6 meters (20 feet).
• Caimans have excellent sense of hearing and eyesight.
• It is the neotropical realm's third largest reptile.
• It is a carnivorous reptile with a broad diet that can eat almost any terrestrial or riparian animal found across its habitat.
• Caimans are nocturnal animals.
• Can be found in slow-moving rivers, lakes, and seasonally flooded savannas in the Amazon Basin, as well as other South American freshwater habitats.
• Has a maximum speed of: 35 - 48 km/hr. (in the water).
• Has a maximum speed of: 7 - 10 km/hr. (on land).
• Caimans are solitary creatures that gather only during the mating season. Caimans mate at the end of dry season when food is abundant (large number of fish end up trapped in shallow pools of water). Easy meals ensure energy required for development of eggs.
• Caimans have long lifespan. They can survive 30 to 40 years in the wild and up to 60 years in captivity.
• Female caimans build a nest of soil and vegetation where she lays up to 65 eggs to hatch within 6 weeks, meanwhile she protects her nest.
• The sex of the reptiles are determined by the nest temperature. Colder temperatures induces females, warmer temperatures induces males. 
• Due to the high demand for its well-marked skin, this species was listed as Endangered since the 1970's.

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