The caimans are predators and, like alligators and the crocodiles, their diet consists of a great deal of fish.
The caimans also hunt insects, birds and small mammals and reptiles.

Due to the large size and ferocious nature of the caimans, they have few natural predators within their environments.
Humans are the main predators of the caimans as they have been hunted for their meat and skin.
Jaguars and anacondas are the only other predators of the caimans but they prey only on the smaller specimens.
 During summer or droughts, the caiman may dig a burrow and go into a form of summer hibernation called aestivation.


Female caimans build a large nest in which to lay their eggs.
These nests can be more than 1.5 metres wide.
Female caimans lay between 10 and 50 eggs which hatch within about 6 weeks.
Once they have hatched, the mother caiman takes her young to a shallow pool of water where they can learn how to hunt and swim.
The caimans are predators and, like alligators and the crocodiles, their diet consists of a great deal of fish. The caimans also hunt insects, birds and small mammals and reptiles.
Due to the large size and ferocious nature of the caimans, they have few natural predators within their environments. Humans are the main predators of the caimans as they have been hunted for their meat and skin. Jaguars and anacondas are the only other predators of the caimans but they prey only on the smaller specimens.  During summer or droughts, the caiman may dig a burrow and go into a form of summer hibernation called aestivation.

Female caimans build a large nest in which to lay their eggs. These nests can be more than 1.5 metres wide. Female caimans lay between 10 and 50 eggs which hatch within about 6 weeks. Once they have hatched, the mother caiman takes her young to a shallow pool of water where they can learn how to hunt and swim.
Caiman