Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire Oaks welcomes new arrivals after Caiman lays eggs

Oct 13 2011 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

A FOUR-foot-long caiman at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire Oaks has delighted her keepers by laying a clutch of 10 eggs.

It is the first time the Cuvier’s dwarf caiman, named Suchus, has laid eggs at the aquarium.

A number of the eggs have been removed and placed into an incubator where, if all goes well, they are due to hatch out in November.

Blue Planet Aquarium terrestrial biologist Adam Mitchell said: “We had noted signs of mating behaviour between the pair but it was still a great surprise to discover the 10 eggs.

“As this is her first clutch we took the decision to remove the majority of them from the display and place them in an incubator to develop.

“It’s still early days but it looks like the eggs are developing well.”