🐊 Black caiman vs Shortfin mako 🦈
The black caiman is about one and a half times as long as the shortfin mako.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🐊 Black caiman | 🦈 Shortfin mako |
|---|---|---|
| Size The black caiman is about one and a half times as long as the shortfin mako. | 20 ft6 m1 | 10 to 12 ft3.2 to 3.8 m2 |
| Top speed Neither has a checked number yet. | no checked number yet | no checked number yet |
| Weight We don't have a checked number for the black caiman yet. | no checked number yet | 132 to 298 lb60 to 135 kg2 |
| Lives The shortfin mako usually lives about twice as long as the black caiman. | 13 years13 years1 | 29 to 32 years29 to 32 years2 |
| Eats The black caiman eats meat; the shortfin mako eats fish. | fish such as piranhas and catfish, other animals near the water, and insects when it is young | mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | slow rivers, lakes and flooded forest in the Amazon region | open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface |
Which one? Black caiman or shortfin mako
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the black caiman or the shortfin mako yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
9 things to know about Black caiman vs Shortfin mako
- The black caiman: A very big reptile of the Amazon that lives in slow rivers.
- The shortfin mako: A sleek open-ocean shark that travels far across the sea.
- They are different kinds of animal. The black caiman is a reptile, so it has scaly skin; the shortfin mako is a fish, so it breathes with gills.
- The black caiman is about one and a half times as long as the shortfin mako: 1 against 2.
- The shortfin mako usually lives about twice as long as the black caiman. Usual lifespans: 1 for the black caiman and 2 for the shortfin mako.
- The black caiman eats fish such as piranhas and catfish, other animals near the water, and insects when it is young. The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid.
- The black caiman lives in slow rivers, lakes and flooded forest in the Amazon region. The shortfin mako lives in open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
- The black caiman: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The shortfin mako: in danger (Endangered on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🐊 Black caiman
- A black caiman can grow longer than most cars.
- Young ones eat mostly insects.
- It lives in slow rivers and flooded Amazon forest.
🦈 Shortfin mako
- A shortfin mako travels very long distances.
- Females are bigger than males.
- It lives in warm and cool seas around the world.
Questions kids ask about Black caiman and Shortfin mako
Which is bigger, black caiman or shortfin mako?
The black caiman is about one and a half times as long as the shortfin mako: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, black caiman or shortfin mako?
We only have a checked weight for the shortfin mako: 2. Scientists are still working out the other.
Which lives longer, black caiman or shortfin mako?
The shortfin mako usually lives about twice as long as the black caiman. Usual lifespans: 1 for the black caiman and 2 for the shortfin mako.
What do black caiman and shortfin mako eat?
The black caiman eats fish such as piranhas and catfish, other animals near the water, and insects when it is young. The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid.
Where do black caiman and shortfin mako live?
The black caiman lives in slow rivers, lakes and flooded forest in the Amazon region. The shortfin mako lives in open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, black caiman or shortfin mako?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/black-caiman-vs-mako-shark
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Melanosuchus niger (black caiman), checked 10 November 2026.
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Isurus oxyrinchus (shortfin mako), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.