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You are viewing an archived site. The Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database project ended in 2020 and the database is no longer receiving updates. Learn more…
Image of Caiman crocodilus

Caiman crocodilus

Reptiles-Crocodilians

Common Caiman

Common Caiman crocodiles are native to central and South America from southern Mexico to Argentina. Juveniles were sold in the pet trade in the 1950s, when having a baby alligator as a pet was popular. But like all cute baby animals, they grow up. Male caimans can get as large as 8 feet long, much too large and dangerous for a family pet, so before they had the chance to eat themselves out of house and home, they were released into the wild. The first introductions were in canals in Miami, FL where they became established. Colder winters north of Southern Florida prevent the establishment of breeding populations, but there have been many reports of released caimans discovered along the East Coast as far north as Boston, MA. There are several reports of released animals in the Chesapeake Bay region, mainly from Virginia, and in August 2010, one was caught outside Baltimore. Since the animals die at about 54°F, they won’t survive in the Bay.

Image Credit: Robert Godshalk

Taxonomy Invasion History Ecology Impacts References

Description

Taxonomy

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Animalia Chordata Reptilia Crocodilia Alligatoridae Caiman

Synonyms

Invasion History

Chesapeake Bay Status

First Record Population Range Introduction Residency Source Region Native Region Vectors
1964 Failed Contracting Introduced Regular Resident South America South America Ornamental(Pet Release)

History of Spread

Caiman crocodilus (Common Caiman) is native to central and South America from southern Mexico to Argentina (Ross 1989). This crocodilian was widely sold in the pet trade as juvenile 'baby alligators'. It was apparently introduced to canals in the Miami FL area in the late 1950s, and was established by the 1960s (Butterfield et al. 1997). Currently, the breeding range of this species is from Lake Jessup in Seminole County, to Florida City, Dade county (Poss et al. 2000). Caiman crocodilus seems to be unable to tolerate temperatures below 12-15 C (Brandt and Mazzotti 1990), so that this species is unlikely to become established beyond Southern FL.

Scattered records of individual C. crocodilus are known in several U.S. states, including the region of Boston MA and the St. Johns river drainage FL, the lower Colorado Basin in AZ, the Central Valley of CA (Florida Caribbean Science Center 2001), all outside the species' thermal tolerance range. In the Chesapeake Bay region, there are at least 4 records of individual animals, from Lake Whitehurst in Norfolk VA, from a pond in eastern Henrico County VA, and from Fourmile Creek, Arlington VA (Mitchell 1994), and from ponds on the tidal Patapsco River, near Brooklyn Park (Roylance 2010). Breeding and overwintering of these creatures are extremely unlikely, unless they have access to warm effluents.

References- Brandt and Mazzotti 1990; Florida Caribbean Science Center 2001; Mitchell 1994; Poss 2000; Ross 1989

Invasion Comments

Ecology

Environmental Tolerances

For SurvivalFor Reproduction
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
Temperature (ºC) 12.0
Salinity (‰) 0.0 0.0
Oxygen
pH
Salinity Range fresh-oligo

Age and Growth

Male Female
Minimum Adult Size (mm)
Typical Adult Size (mm)
Maximum Adult Size (mm)
Maximum Longevity (yrs)
Typical Longevity (yrs

Reproduction

Start Peak End
Reproductive Season
Typical Number of Young
Per Reproductive Event
Sexuality Mode(s)
Mode(s) of Asexual
Reproduction
Fertilization Type(s)
More than One Reproduction
Event per Year
Reproductive Startegy
Egg/Seed Form

Impacts

Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay

Except for the commotion generated by the discovery of a crocodilian in an urban area, Caiman crocodilus (Common Caiman) has no economic impacts in the Chesapeake Bay region, since it is incapable of surviving winter temperatures.

Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay

Except for the commotion generated by the discovery of a crocodilian in urban areas, Caiman crocodilus (Common Caiman) has no economic impacts in the northern US, since it is incapable of surviving winter temperatures in the region (Brandt and Mazzotti 1990). Unsuccessful attempts have been made to eradicate C. crocodilus from southern FL. The extent of its economic impacts there are unclear (Poss 2000).

References: Brandt and Mazzotti 1990; Poss et al. 2000

Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species

Caiman crocodilus (Common Caiman) is a failed introduction to the Chesapeake Bay region, since it is incapable of surviving winter temperatures in the region. It has no significant impacts on native biota.

Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species

Caiman crocodilus (Common Caiman) is a failed introduction to the Chesapeake Bay region, since it is incapable of surviving winter temperatures in the region. It has no significant impacts on other exotic biota.

References

Brandt, Laura A.; Mazzotti, Frank J. (1990) The behavior of juvenile Alligator mississippiensis and Caiman crocodilus exposed to low temperatures., Copeia 1990: 867-891

1996 Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/

Mitchell, Joseph C. (1994) The Reptiles of Virginia., , Washington, D. C.. Pp.

1999 Nonindigenous species in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ross, Charles A (1989) Crocodiles and Alligators, , New York. Pp.

Direct questions and comments to chesnemo@si.edu.

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