In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Dwarf Caiman in 7 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Dwarf Caiman.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Dwarf Caiman - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: First, draw the lumpy head of your Dwarf Caiman as you see in this picture.
Step 2: Next, draw the face. Begin by bringing two lines together to form a pointed mouth that takes up most of the caiman's head. Let your caiman see by drawing a large circle with a line beneath it for the eye. The eye should be placed inside the highest lump on your its head.
Step 3: Then, draw the body. Start by making lines that come down from the sides of the caiman's head to create its neck. Draw a curved line for its belly and a line that has several points for its back.
Step 4: Now, draw the short front legs of your caiman. The leg furthest from you should be mostly straigh while the one closest, should have a bend in it for the elbow.
Step 5: Draw the hind leg coming out of the right side of your caiman. The foot should have four pointed toes.
Step 6: Draw the tail by drawing one smooth curved line for the bottom of the tail and one ridged line for its top.
Step 7: The last step to bring your Dwarf Caiman to life is to draw the body pattern using lines like the ones seen here.
Interesting Facts about the Dwarf Caiman
The Dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) is a small crocodile that lives in North and Central America. The dwarf caiman is also called the musky caiman, Cuvier’s caiman, and the smooth-fronted caiman. In the pet trade, it is sometimes called the wedge head caiman.
Did you know?
- It was first described by George Cuvier, a French zoologist, in 1807.
- An adult dwarf caiman will usually weigh up to fifteen pounds. Males are usually a little over five feet long while females are almost five feet, and it is the smallest of all crocodiles.
- Young dwarf caimans will eat small fish and frogs, while adults will also eat larger fish, such as piranha, amphibians and small mammals.
- Eggs take about three months to hatch, and females lay them on a mounded nest.
- The dwarf caiman has strong body armor on both sides of its body, probably to make up for its size when protecting it from predators.
- Its main predators are jaguars, green anaconda and boa constrictors.
- While dwarf caiman are hunted for food and captured for the pet trade, they are very common and not endangered.
Lesson plan note: Discuss how the dwarf caiman is important to the ecosystem it lives in, especially regarding the animals that it preys on.
How to Draw a Dwarf Caiman – Step-by-Step Tutorial