COCODRILO DEL ORINOCO

Es una especie endémica de la Orinoquia colombiana y venezolana, se encuentra

principalmente en los ríos de gran cauce y aguas turbias, es considerado el mayor
depredador de América Latina. Este cocodrilo es uno de los reptiles más grandes
del planeta, ya que puede alcanzar excepcionalmente los 7 metros de longitud. El
tamaño promedio del macho es de 4 metros y el de la hembra es de 3 metros.

Son animales carnívoros que se alimentan principalmente de peces, las crías

consumen insectos, camarones, mariposas, libélulas, grillos e invertebrados
pequeños y los grandes se alimentan de peces de mas de 30 cm, anacondas,
chigüiros, caracoles, tortugas, aves, perros y venados.

Durante los años 30 existían aproximadamente 3 millones de cocodrilos del

Orinoco en Colombia y Venezuela, pero lamentablemente se produjo una caza
masiva de la especie para poder abastecer la demanda de productos como botas,
bolsos, abrigos y todas las prendas que hacían con la piel de los cocodrilos.
Adicional a esas crueles actividades esta especie de cocodrilo ha disminuido
drásticamente porque destruyeron su hábitat para las actividades humanas
ocasionando que a principios del año 2000 en Colombia quedaran 200 cocodrilos
y en Venezuela 1700.

Afortunadamente los colombianos y venezolanos iniciaron el Programa Nacional

para la Conservación del Caimán Llanero, los objetivos principales son prevenir la
extinción de la especie, promover la recuperación de los hábitats y permitir la
conservación a largo plazo. Este programa se divide en seis partes: recuperación de
huevos y neonatos, implementación de una infraestructura para dar cabida a 2500
individuos, identificación de hábitats potenciales para la reintroducción, definir protocolo
de reintroducción, realizar monitoreos a las poblaciones reintroducidas y un intercambio
internacional entre Colombia y Venezuela para la preservación conjunta de esta especie
It is an endemic species of the Colombian and Venezuelan Orinoquia, it is found mainly in
rivers with large watercourses and turbid waters, it is considered the largest predator in
Latin America. This crocodile is one of the largest reptiles on the planet, as it can
exceptionally reach 7 meters in length. The average size of the male is 4 meters and the
size of the female is 3 meters.

They are carnivorous animals that feed mainly on fish, the young eat insects, shrimp,
butterflies, dragonflies, crickets and small invertebrates and the large ones feed on fish
over 30 cm, anacondas, capybaras, snails, turtles and birds, dogs and deer.

During the 1930's there were approximately 3 million Orinoco crocodiles in Colombia and
Venezuela, but unfortunately there was massive hunting of the species to supply the
demand for products such as boots, bags, coats and all the garments made with crocodile
skin. In addition to these cruel activities, this species of crocodile has decreased drastically
because their habitat was destroyed for human activities, causing that at the beginning of
the year 2000 there were 200 crocodiles left in Colombia and 1700 in Venezuela.

Fortunately the Colombians and Venezuelans started the National Program for the
Conservation of the Caiman Llanero, the main objectives are to prevent the extinction of
the species, promote the recovery of habitats and allow long-term conservation. This
program is divided into six parts: recovery of eggs and hatchlings, implementation of an
infrastructure to accommodate 2500 individuals, identification of potential habitats for
reintroduction, definition of reintroduction protocol, monitoring of reintroduced populations,
and an international exchange between Colombia and Venezuela for the joint preservation
of this species.
de Orinoco crocodail is an endemic espishis of de colombian an venezuelan, it is faun
meinli in rivers güit larch guarercourses and turbid güarers. It is considered de
laryest predeiror in latín america. Dis crocodail is uan os de laryest reptails on de
planet, as in can excepshionali rich seven merers in leng. De averich sais of de
meil is four merers and de sais of de fimeil is tri merers.

Dei ar carnivorus animals dat fid meinli on fish, de yong fid insects, shrimps,
barerflais, dragonflais, crikets and esmol invertebrets and de larch uans fid on fish
over tirti centimerers, anacondas, capibaras, esneils, tortols, birds, dogs and dir.

Diurin de uan tausan nain jondred tirti der güere aproximetli tri milion Orinoco
crocodail in Colombia and Venezuela, bat anfortunetli der güere a masif jontin of
de espishis tu suplai de demans for products soch as buts, bags, couts and oll de
garments meid güit crocodail eskin. In adishion tu dis crul activitis, dis espeshis of
crocodail jas dicrisd drasticli bicous deir hábitat guas distroid for jiuman activitis
causin dat at de beguinin of tu tausand yir der güere tu jondred crocodails left in
Colombia and uan tausans seven jaundred in Venezuela.

Fortunetli the colombians and venezuelans estarted de nashional program for de

conserveishon of de llanero caiman. De mein obyectis ar tu privent de extinshion of
de espishis, promout tu ricoveri of hábitats and aloun long-term conserveishon. Dis
program is divaired intu six parts. Ricoveri of egs and hatchlins, implementeishon
of an infraestrucshur for acomodeit tu tausand faif jondred individuals,
identifikeishon of potenshial hábitats for reintroducshion, definishion of
reintroducshion protocol, monitoring of introdiust populeishons, and an
internashional excheins bitgüin Colombia and Venezuela for de yoint
preserveishon of dis espeshis.