Tracking Caimans at Agami Pond: teacher key

Black Caimans, grade 9 edition, written for 9th grade. Scientists in French Guiana put satellite tags on black caimans. See what the tracks showed about where they live, move and eat.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. How many black caimans did the scientists tag?
   • Four (answer)
   • Forty
   • Four hundred
2. How did the scientists catch the caimans?
   • With a big net from a plane
   • At night from a small motorless boat, using a noose (answer)
   • With food in a cage
3. Where were adult caimans found at Agami Pond?
   • Only in open water
   • On hills
   • Only in flooded forest (answer)
4. Since when has French Guiana fully protected the black caiman by law?
   • 1886
   • 2026
   • 1986 (answer)
5. The tagged caimans showed signs of patrolling. What does that suggest?
   • They never move
   • They keep a territory (answer)
   • They live in trees

Words

• transmitters: signal senders
• opportunistic: taking what comes
• predators: animal hunters
• territory: guarded area