The winners of the 2017 University of HawaiÊ»i Presidentâs Green Initiative Awards were honored in a ceremony on March 16 at UH West Oâahu as part of the fifth annual HawaiÊ»i Sustainability in Higher Education Summit.
Rain Forest Predators. The black caiman of the Amazon rainforest is often mistaken for an alligator, which it closely resembles. However, true alligators only live in two places in the world, and neither is a rainforest environment: the Southeastern US and the Yangtze River in China. The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is the largest of the six caiman species, reaching a length of almost 17 feet (5 meters).
Range and habitat: Alligators occur on the Atlantic Coast of North America from Florida through coastal North Carolina, and along the Gulf Coast into Texas. Alligators are restricted to the Coastal Plain, which includes the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia and South Carolina. In South Carolina, alligators have been recorded to reach lengths of more than 13 feet. Alligators live in swampy areas, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Females and juveniles occasionally use seasonal wetlands, such as Carolina Bays.