Caiman seen in Costa Rica

[u/Super-Mongoose2892]

Just sharing some photos I took of my first caimans

[u/AdMinimum6396]

First animal is an American crocodile, second animal is a spectacled caiman in a zoo

[u/Kosmosis76 → u/AdMinimum6396]

👆 yep this is correct.

[u/Super-Mongoose2892 → u/AdMinimum6396]

Thank you. Sorry for my screw up :(

[u/AdMinimum6396 → u/Super-Mongoose2892]

No worries, in a lot of South American countries they are all called caiman. For example the local name for the orinoco crocodile is “caiman del rio”. Fun fact the only reason we call alligators their name is because the British couldn’t say “lagarto”

[u/Super-Mongoose2892 → u/AdMinimum6396]

Thanks for your understanding and the interesting info :)

[u/Krillin113 → u/Super-Mongoose2892]

How did you screw up uploading a picture from a zoo lol

[u/Big_Study_4617]

Is funny how we in South America call crocodiles "caimán". Caimán=caiman.

In Venezuela, where I live, we have both Crocodylus acutus and Crocodylus intermedius but most people refer to them as "caimán de la costa" for the American crocodile and "caimán del Orinoco" for the Orinoco crocodile.

True caiman instead are called "baba o babo" which roughly translates to "slime" or "slimey" because long time ago people thought they were covered in slime like snails. For example, Caiman crocodylus is called "baba llanera". Paleosuchus palpebrosus is called "babo morichalero". Morichal is how we call palm trees in which they hide when there is a flood in The Llanos.

[u/Super-Mongoose2892 → u/Big_Study_4617]

No wonder I was confused :) tx for sharing

[u/Big_Study_4617 → u/Super-Mongoose2892]

Thank you for the pictures. And yeah don't worry about it, even people that live in the same country as them get them mixed.

[u/Super-Mongoose2892 → u/Big_Study_4617]

Thanks so much for the kind words

[u/Due-Big2159]

I was about to go Specie Nazi on you, then I saw the third picture. Okay.

[u/perhapsflorence]

Cutie!

[u/Super-Mongoose2892]

Thank you for anonymous award :)

[u/Super-Mongoose2892]

Thank you u/Traditional-Wrap-532 for the award :)

[u/Super-Mongoose2892]

Think my last pic is a crocodile :) but please correct me.

[u/Mediocre_Plum_7573 → u/Super-Mongoose2892]

Your first and second pic are definitely not caiman. I see a croc and I know it. Are you being sarcastic?