Cuvier’s dwarf caiman

Unlike in Africa or Australia, the freshwater rivers of South America are devoid of giant, man-eating Nile crocodiles or one-tonne ‘salties’ lying in ambush for an unwary human.

The continent does, however, have the black caiman, which grows up to 6m long and is certainly not to be messed with. One crocodilian unlikely to trouble anyone tempted by river swimming in the Orinoco or Amazon basins is Cuvier’s dwarf caiman,

a miniature crocodile whose males rarely exceeds 1.5m in length, and females not much more than 1m. Seeing these compact crocs is mainly a matter of chance. However, trips departing from Iquitos in northern Peru will give you the opportunity, but you’ll have to go on a night-time safari as Cuvier’s caimans are strictly nocturnal. Even if you miss out, an encounter with the also diminutive, but much commoner, spectacled caiman is highly likely.