An analysis of the effect of hunting on Caiman crocodilus and Melanosuchus niger based on the sizes of confiscated skins

Abstract

The size distributions of skins of Caiman crocodilus and Melanosuchus niger confiscated by the Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal in the regions of Manaus and the Rio Trombetas were compared with the size distributions of wild populations. The comparison indicates that hunting is selective, with 110 cm and 100 cm being the approximated lower limits for C. crocodilus and M. niger respectively. The size difference between animals entering the hunted population and those entering the breeding population combined with presumed growth rates of the two species indicate that there could be some recruitment to the breeding population of C. crocodilus one year after intensive hunting but that M. niger would require approximately three years.