A caiman is a type of crocodilian reptile that lives in Central and South America. Caimans look similar to alligators, with powerful jaws, thick scaled skin, and long tails they use for swimming. They spend their time in rivers, lakes, and wetlands, hunting fish, birds, and small mammals.

Caimans range in size depending on the species. The smallest, called the Cuvier's dwarf caiman, grows only about four or five feet long. The largest, the black caiman, can reach over 16 feet and weigh nearly a ton, making it one of the biggest predators in the Amazon rainforest.

Like their cousins, alligators and crocodiles, caimans are ancient creatures that have survived for millions of years. They're cold-blooded, which means they bask in the sun to warm up and slip into the water to cool down. Female caimans build nests from vegetation and fiercely protect their eggs and young from predators.

If you visit a zoo with a reptile house, you might spot a caiman sunning itself by the water's edge, looking like a prehistoric statue until it suddenly snaps its jaws at feeding time.