Northern Brown Kiwi

 

Physical Description

• Females are smaller than males.

•  Average adults are a dull olive to nearly black in color with variable yellow or black stripe.

•  They have long snouts and their fourth mandibular tooth is not visible from the outside of their closed jaw.

• Younger ones are yellowish in color with darker bands and spots.

• A feature that helps to distinguish  Caiman from other, crocodilians is the presence of a bony infra-orbital bridge between the eyes. The subspecies vary in color and skull size.

General Characteristics

Length : 1.5- 3.0 meters ( 4.92 – 9.84 ft )   

Weight : 7 – 58 kg ( 15.42 – 127.75 lbs )

Range : Northern South America , Central America ,certain parts of Caribbean. Brazil, Columbia , Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago, and Venezuela.

Habitat: Freshwater habitats, as well as some saltwater habitats, rivers and wetlands. They are found in both deep and shallow waters. 

Diet: invertebrates, crustaceans, insects, and mollusks 

Status: even though the population has been stable in some areas only ! . It is very difficult to maintain its population

 Reason for status: Habitat destruction and over hunting

Incubation period: 65 – 104 days

Lifespan:  30 – 40 years in the wild, but can even stay as long as 60 years / 20 years in captivity, but can stay as high as 24 years.