The Caiman

We were on our way from the airport to Southwilds in the Pantanal, but I fell asleep in the car, meanwhile Mummy was still awake and she saw a caiman on the way!  I was really jealous the next day but when we went on a boat ride I wasn't so jealous because we saw thousands more!!

Alyson, our guide, told us that caimans are from the Alligator family.  They swallow stones to stay at the bottom of the river for longer as it makes them heavier and then they regurgitate the stones.  Crocodiles also do this to help crush the bones of the prey they have eaten.  Caimen eat fish which is a good way to control the piranha population in the rivers.  Otherwise if there is not much water and therefore less fish, the piranhas will eat baby caimans! 

We saw this caiman with a catfish in its mouth.  Alyson said it was waiting until we go before it will eat it.

By Frankie