Extinction of this species.

The root causes of the sharp reduction in numbers of species have been hunting for the leather industry, captured for the pet trade, and to a lesser extent, its use for food by local people , which occasionally consume eggs as well as the reduction of their habitat.

Several projects alligator breeding farms in Brazil and Argentina, part of the production is returned to the environment, and the remainder is for commercial slaughter.One of the most important breeding sites of Argentina in Corrientes province, with more than 10,000 copies, of which you can see a copy of "albino alligator"

Habits.

The diet of the black caiman is exclusively carnivorous, eats primarily snails and other mollusks and crustaceans, as well as fish, which still haunts with its mouth open to swallow when put to them. The black caiman is the main natural predator of the thumb. Is able to kill other reptiles and even small mammals if necessary, but avoids doing so by energy consumption involved, except in self-defense or extreme hunger, not aggressive toward humans.


The breeding season is located in early summer, males mark their territory and fight to drive out the weaker specimens. Females roam the area and copulate repeatedly to ensure fertilization of eggs. A little later built a nest with materials found in the area, always near a water surface, where they deposit between 20 and 40 eggs, the nest takes the form of a mound of organic material to one meter in diameter and 6 cm tall.

Description.

The black alligator reaches the 2.5 m normal adult size, although larger specimens are occasionally. The muzzle is long and narrow, even with the mouth closed can be seen several teeth.The coloring is blackish or very dark. The belly is yellowish and has no bone covering on the contrary, the scales of the back have osteoderms well marked.The juveniles show a pattern of stripes black on yellow or brown, which gradually darkens.The legs are strong and short, the fingers are later joined by a membrane that facilitates swimming, although the overall driving force from the muscular tail.

Habitat.

Swamp and lake regions of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguayand Peru in particular the Amazon River basin, the Paraguay and Parana. The most important population found in the Brazilian Pantanal and in the system of Ibera in Argentina. Prefers hot, wet areas. Unlike other local species, occupies large water courses and open.

The black caiman (Caiman yacare) live in the subtropical and tropical regions of South America. They can reach three meters in length. Their color is black or dark olive, and mottled skin made them a favorite of the shoe industry for a long time.

The security measures have allowed recovery, they are recorded in Appendix II listing of CITES protected species. They are also known as caimán del Paraguay o jacaretinga in Portuguese