by 
The Curious Bag
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Caimans are reptilian members of the Alligatoridae family, possessing the long snouts and tails and tough hides that alligators and crocodiles do. Caimans are smaller versions of their larger cousins and live in tropical waters in the Western Hemisphere.
Types
There are six species of caiman, with the common (or spectacled) caiman the most populous of the group because it can withstand living in saltwater as well as freshwater. Other caiman species are the Cuvier's dwarf caiman, the Yacare caiman, the Schneider's caiman, the broad-snouted caiman and the black caiman.
Size
The largest species of caiman is the spectacled caiman, with the males averaging about 7 feet in length and the females about 5 feet long.
Geography
The spectacled caiman has the widest geographical distributions of the caimans, living as far south as Brazil to as far north as northern Central America, Cuba and portions of the United States.
Diet
Younger caimans dine on insects, mollusks and crustaceans but as they gain greater size, they can capture, kill and consume things like water birds, fish and mammals as large as wild pigs.
Effects
Many caiman populations have felt the effects of overhunting for their hides and loss of habitat. Although caiman populations are still high number wise, they are much lower when compared with past numbers.
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