It’s only fitting for the largest member of the alligator family to live in the world’s largest river basin. Black caimans can grow to be as long as six meters in length and weigh up to 600 kilograms. Can you imagine floating side-by-side one of these behemoths while aboard one of Aqua’s private skiffs? Now, that’d be a story worth taking back home.
On the fifth day of our seven-night Amazon tour, guests get to take an evening ride along the black waters of the Pacaya River. Be sure to look around carefully because the caimans’ eyes are the only part of them which aren’t camouflaged. When our Aqua naturalist guides spot a juvenile caiman, they might even gently lift it from the river to let the guests have a better look. If it’s a photo-op you’re after, there will never be a better chance.
Black caimans used to be endangered back in the 1970s due to excessive poaching. Today, conservation efforts have helped their population recover and they’re steadily moving towards the safe zone. The return of black caimans has also helped bring the piranha and capybara population under control. Their numbers had grown unnaturally high, creating an imbalance in the ecosystem.