Paleosuchus trigonatus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The smooth-fronted caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus), also known as Schneider's dwarf caiman or Schneider's smooth-fronted caiman, is a crocodilian from South America, where it is native to the Amazon and Orinoco Basins. It is the second-smallest species of the family Alligatoridae, the smallest being Cuvier's dwarf caiman, also from tropical South America and in the same genus. An adult typically grows to around 1.2 to 1.6 m (3.9 to 5.2 ft) in length and weighs between 9 and 20 kg (20 and 44 lb). Exceptionally large males can reach as much as 2.3 m (7.5 ft) in length and 36 kg (79 lb) in weight.
The smooth-fronted caiman was first described by the German classicist and naturalist Johann Gottlob Schneider in 1801. The genus name Paleosuchus is derived from the Greek palaios meaning "ancient" and soukhos meaning "crocodile". This refers to the belief that this crocodile comes from an ancient lineage that diverged from other species of caimans some 30 million years ago. The specific name trigonatus is derived from the Greek trigonos meaning "three-cornered" and Latin atus meaning "provided with" and refers to the triangular shape of the head.
At present... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aquarium of Genoa | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 2 | Zoo Pilsen | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 3 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Berlin Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Bioparque Municipal Vesty Pakos | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 6 | Chapultepec Zoo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | bioparco | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 8 | Krefelder Zoo | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 9 | Salzburg Zoo | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 10 | Buin Zoo | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 11 | Oasi Naturalistica di Sant'Alessio | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 12 | Bioparque Los Ocarros | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 13 | Touroparc Zoo | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 14 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Sacramento Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Refugio Silvestre Yanacocha | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 17 | Yanacocha Animal Rescue Centre | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 18 | Kobe Animal Kingdom | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 19 | Dierenpark De Oliemeulen | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 20 | Aquarium Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 21 | National Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Smooth-fronted Caiman sighting in Yasuní National Park on a given day, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 21st most-seen of the 49 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Smooth-fronted Caiman in Yasuní National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and May, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Smooth-fronted Caiman sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Smooth-fronted Caiman sightings, Yasuní National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Manu National Park (Peru, about 20%) and Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (Ecuador, about 20%).
Same family: Alligatoridae
The closest relatives of the Smooth-fronted Caiman that you can see in Yasuní National Park (family Alligatoridae, Alligators and Caimans) are Black Caiman (about 30%) and Common Caiman (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Smooth-fronted Caiman is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Yasuní National Park (30 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.
