We’re green with envy over this caiman’s awesome butterfly crown

When photographer Mark Cowan traveled through the Amazon while studying reptile and amphibian diversity with the Herpetology Division at the University of Michigan, he didn’t expect to come across something so astonishing: a caiman with its head draped in butterflies. But not just any old butterflies either. Butterflies that managed to arrange themselves into three different species groups and it looks just like a crown! Apparently there is this cool phenomenon where butterflies lounge atop reptiles in order to drink their tears to obtain minerals, like salt, necessary for their survival. Here’s another instance of this happening. Well, folks, it’s officially a ‘thing’. Cowan’s photographs garnered special commendation from the 2016 Royal Society Publishing photography competition. Nice work, Mark!

Photos courtesy of This is Colossal 

Shot by Mark Cowan. A caiman with a butterfly crown.

Shot by Mark Cowan. A caiman with a butterfly crown.


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