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Common Caiman
Caiman crocodilus
Silhouette: Berrucomons · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassCrocodylia
- FamilyAlligatoridae (Alligators and Caimans)
- GenusCaiman (Typical Caimans)
- SpeciesCaiman crocodilus (Common Caiman)
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
116 Verified sightings at Tambopata National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
2,141 In all 23 parks
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Common Caiman
The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m (4 ft 7 in – 8 ft 2 in) and a weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
The spectacled caiman was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally as Lacerta crocodilus. It has since been redescribed several times, including as Caiman sclerops by Schneider in 1801. Although Caiman crocodilus is now the scientific name of the species, some scientists still prefer using sclerops, as having crocodilus as the scientific name for a caiman may cause confusion. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Common Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Valencia | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 3 | São Luís | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Cali | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Tambopata National Reserve
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Common Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve?
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Caiman sighting in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, based on 116 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 47 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Common Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve?
August
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Common Caiman in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, against about 20% in January, the lowest month. That is one of Tambopata National Reserve's driest months, with about 70 mm of rain against 420 mm in February.
What time of day is best to see a Common Caiman?
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Caiman sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Tambopata National Reserve the best place to see a Common Caiman?
8th of 23
Of the 23 parks where we can rate Common Caiman sightings, Tambopata National Reserve ranks 8th at about 40%. The best odds are in Tortuguero National Park (Costa Rica, about 80%), Piedras Blancas National Park (Costa Rica, about 60%) and Bastimentos Island National Marine Park (Panama, about 50%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Common Caiman live in Tambopata National Reserve?
Same family: Alligatoridae
The closest relatives of the Common Caiman that you can see in Tambopata National Reserve (family Alligatoridae, Alligators and Caimans) are Black Caiman (about 40%) and Smooth-fronted Caiman (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Common Caiman sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Caiman is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Tambopata National Reserve (116 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
