Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtles

Around 3,200 yellow-spotted Amazon River turtles (taricayas) were recently freed from the Peruvian Amazon to repopulate the species threatened by hunting.

• Peruvian Amazon is the area of the Amazon rainforest including Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, and Bolivia.

About Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtles (Podocnemis unifilis):

• It is also known commonly as the yellow-headed side-neck turtle and yellow-spotted river turtle.
  • These are called side-necked turtles because they do not pull their heads directly into their shells but rather bend their necks sideways to tuck their heads under the shells.
  • Yellow spots on the side of its head give this species its common name.
• Recognized by its black or brown oval shell with distinctive low keels on the scutes.
• It can grow up to 45 cm long and weigh up to 8 kg.
• Habitat: Native to South America’s Amazon and Orinoco basins, river systems of the Guianas.
• Can tolerate wide temperature fluctuations, eliminating the need to hibernate in the winter.
• The incubation period lasts from 60 to 72 days.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN status: Vulnerable

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