Herpetofauna: One Life's List

Melanosuchus niger
Black Caiman

Depto Loreto, Peru
June 14, 2015

What an experience.  At sunset, we took advantage of the high water and paddled kayaks and dugouts through the flooded varzea forest, to Lunes Cocha, where the black caiman live.  The gobble-whoop of Horned Screamers greeted the setting sun, and as it grew dark, the red eyes of crocodilians reflected back the lights of our headlamps.  It did not take long to find our first Melanosuchus, a small specimen - the bigger monsters remained hidden from us in the dark.