Meet Larry: Chetumal’s Beloved Caiman on the Malecón

Chetumal, Mexico — Among the calm waters of the Boulevard Bahía, where the sky merges with the blue of the Caribbean, lives a legend with scales: Larry, the most beloved caiman in Chetumal. With his large, night-colored eyes and serene gait, this saurian has earned a special place in the hearts of Chetumal's residents, who have adopted him as a symbol of Chetumaleño pride and identity.

What began as simple curiosity, a reptile that would show itself in the mangroves of the boulevard, ended up becoming an emblem of the city. Today, Larry is not just a tourist attraction or a simple caiman, but a living reminder of the natural richness safeguarded by the bay and the other bodies of water that, through their abundant currents and veins, derive their valuable fauna in the Bay of Chetumal.

Every night, visitors and locals stop to search for his silhouette among the emerald waters gifted by the Bay. With camera in hand and a childlike smile, those present eagerly await a sign of the saurian, who chooses the most anticipated moment of the night to let his jaws be glimpsed, generating genuine astonishment among the witnesses.

In every conversation along the malecón, between the whisper of the wind and the sway of the waves, someone has an anecdote about Larry; the day they saw him resting in the sun, the moment he posed for a photo, or the time he disappeared for days, leaving an unsettling silence among his admirers.

The noble reptile invites us to care for his home, to discover its beauty with respect, and to share affection for its warm waters that have accompanied us since childhood. More than a reptile, Larry is an illustrious inhabitant of Chetumal, a figure that reminds everyone that this city, with its mix of nature and human warmth, continues to beat to the rhythm of the Caribbean and its legends.