During our Panama Canal cruise, one of the ports on our itinerary was Limon, Costa Rica. We saw this caiman on our river boat excursion cruise.

Its scales make their skins stiffer and are less valuable compared to the alligators and crocodiles.  Caimans are small sized crocodilians with an average maximum weight between 13 to 88 lbs. Their average length is between 6.6 to 8.2 ft. long.

Link to Wikipedia where we found this Cayman info

Caimans are nocturnal creatures.  They typically spend their days hanging out in the sunshine, just as we encountered this one.

It is interesting the caiman’s scales and outer hide are stiffer than that of an alligator’s. There is also a distinctive pattern in the caiman’s hide.  The caiman’s outer scales have calcium rivets in the center of each scale.   Scales in general protect the creatures as they move over the ground. It also helps to the creature to retain moisture in the hot humid weather.

Caiman leather products are cheaper since the leather is stiffer than alligator or crocodile products.

The caiman needs the thicker “skin” to protect itself from the elements of its environment.

We should try to learn a lesson about developing a thicker skin to protect ourselves too. Do we get upset and angry over things to the extent it is also upsetting our ability to function?

Here’s an example where a thicker hide would have helped avoid expressing anger and disappointment by punching out a door.  See the link below for the story about SF Giants pitcher, Hunter Strickland, who was so upset he injured himself.

Can we find a way to develop a thicker skin to preserve and protect ourselves from ourselves? Can we try to be like the cool caiman basking in the sunlight in the water even with our failures, disappointments and difficulties?

Bleacher Report – Hunter Strickland’s Surgery for his Hand Injury after punching a door