Caiman Hunting in Peru's Amazon Basin

On Peru?s eastern edge, in the heart of the Amazon basin, crouch hoards of black caimans, the endangered relative of the crocodile. Bedding down amongst the oxbow lakes and groves of Mauritanian palms, these crocs have poached nearly to extinction, and recently have been declared a dependent of the Amazon parks and reserves. The Black caiman has been hunted for its hide as well as its meat, but many eco-tourists hunt for these impressive beasts just to glimpse their unique appearance and iridescent eyes.

From Puerto Maldonado, the city that acts as a launch point into the Amazon interior, you can choose from several tours that allow you to look for the elusive Black caiman. Along the Madre de Dios River there lives an abundance of biodiversity, including world-record breaking numbers of ant, butterfly, and bird species. It is this rich region that nurtures and protects the rare Black caiman.

At the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge, only an hour boat ride away from Puerto Maldonado, you can take a boat ride along the river at dusk to search for caimans, as well as capybaras, owls, and other nocturnal creatures. Guided excursions are not only recommended, they are necessary, as black caimans live in completely remote areas. Plus, caimans are difficult to spot without a knowledgeable guide, and although they rarely approach humans, they can be dangerous.

The Posada Amazonas Lodge also gives tours where you might spot caimans. This lodge, two hours from Puerto Maldonado, is near a meandering oxbow lake. You can take catamaran tours around the lake, where caimans, hoatzins, and the endangered giant river otters live. In addition to catamaran tours, you can hike to a nearby clay lick, an embankment where macaws, parrots, and other colorful birds come to feed.

Also close to Puerto Maldonado is Sandoval Lake Lodge. This lodge is adjacent to another oxbow lake, this one lined with 100 foot Mauritanian palms.  The lake acts as a refuge for a number of flora and fauna, including orchids, birds, turtles, and the endangered river otters and black caimans. At this lodge you can take night boat tours to catch sight of the caimans when they are active at night. Night sightings are possible because caimans have large, iridescent eyes that reflect light from the boats.