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Many crocodilians (crocodiles, alligators, and caimans) in photos almost appear to be smiling wide. But make no mistake here, this Yacare Caiman (Caiman yacare) from Brazil may grow almost as long as 10 feet and probably does not want to be trifled with. The Yacare Caiman has a diet that begins with anything they can find underwater, including snails, fish, and sometimes even other caimans, but does not end there—they can also eat large terrestrial animals including Capybaras, which themselves can reach a few feet in size. Despite their fearsome status, some years ago the Yacare Caiman was almost hunted to extinction for the softer parts of its scaly skin that could be made into leather. Luckily, conservation action restricting hunting and selling has allowed local populations something of a return to form. We should try not to let our fear of these predators turn into disrespect—they just so happen to be extremely successful top predators, which many ecosystems need to keep the lower trophic levels in check. Besides, they don’t always sit at the top of the food chain. Juvenile Yacare Caimans, which lack parental care and are thus somewhat self-sufficient, often fall prey to large birds such as storks and herons that relentlessly stalk the tall grasses that the young caimans call home. Such is the food web.

Photo by Alycia Drwencke; Caption by Brady Nichols

Edited by Brady Nichols