The Caiman Edition

The Caiman Catching Edition

One of the principle research efforts at Caiman House is their long-running study of black caiman in the Rupununi River. For several years now they have been catching caiman at night and recording biometric data (length, weight, condition, etc); they are now have detailed records on more than 600 individual caiman. When guests are in residence, they have the unforgettable opportunity to join the caiman crew in a “follow boat”. When a caiman is located (shiny red eyes glowing in the dark along the river banks) they are caught with a special loop on a pole; while catching them is pretty routine, subduing them is something else altogether. The big ones thrash around, bite the front of the boat repeatedly, and generally make it very difficult to tape their jaws shut and bring them to shore. Once they do though the caiman are quite docile, and we could touch and examine them along with the research crew. It is truly an unforgettable experience. Because the follow boat can only take four passengers, we went out on three separate nights – Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. In the pictures below, you can see our teams getting up close and personal with ‘our’ caiman. Here are comments from everyone on our real-life “River Monsters” expeditions.

Kendry: It was like a real-life ‘Jaws’ – but with giant caiman !

Meaghan:  Pretty incredible experience – how often do you get to hold hands with an 11 foot alligator ??

Lauren: Sitting beside an 11’3” 279 pound caiman was unreal ! These prehistoric creatures have an uncanny yet majestic beauty about them.

Kel: I can’t believe that I got to touch the HUGE teeth, feet, and belly of a 374 pound caiman.

Knoel: I think I know what it would have felt like to touch a dinosaur – the whole night seemed Jurassic.

Cam: It was like touching a living dinosaur – feeling its armor was amazing.

Maria: It is so important for people to know about these amazing caiman. I felt like these studies make a difference in their environment, and we were so lucky to be a part of this.

Chris: Amazing experience - from seeing the caiman in the water to its being caught, weighted,  and measured.  Feeling the skin, skewts, and arms of the caiman was a great, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The eyes of a black caiman stare through you like lasers; it is as if they have no problem with you being there – as if you don’t exist.

Michelle: Being a part of the research on the caiman was an amazing experience ! I felt truly privileged to have taken part in it. Feeling the razor sharp teeth and the muscles in the tale of the caiman makes me really understand the power of these wonderful creatures. Thank you Caiman House for all your efforts !

Cydney: I am so thankful that there are people who care about the status and health of the black caiman. To see such a prehistoric beast alive and in the wild is truly a jaw-dropping experience. The sensations in being next to such a magnificent creature, with my hand on its side, gave me a wonderful feeling of connection to something ancient. I hope that future generations strive to help sustain wildlife such as the caiman.