Caiman Lizard

The Caiman lizard, Dracaena guianensis, is a large, heavy bodied lizard that is well adapted to life in and around water. Caiman lizards are native to South America around the Amazon River Basin from Brazil, and Guyana westward to Peru and Ecuador. While it is a relatively widespread species, little has been published about wild populations of Caiman lizards. In the past, the Caiman lizard was heavily hunted for its skin, but since protection was provided for them in the 1970s, the export has dropped and now these animals are not considered to be under the threat of extinction.