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© Sedgwick County Zoo, credit: Dean Foy

Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtle

Podocnemis unifilis

*This animal is not on exhibit.

Physical Characteristics

  • The shell is domed and dark in color. Head markings are yellowish-orange. There is usually a single barbel (feeler) on the chin.
  • Size of average adult
    • length: 15 - 27 inch shell

Diet

  • Wild: plant material and fruits which fall into the water

Behavior

  • Diurnal: active during the day
  • Tolerate wide temperature fluctuations
  • Reproduction
    • mating season: varies depending on locality
    • nesting has been recorded for most months of the year
    • clutch size: average 15-25, as many as 40

Environmental/Global

  • Habitat: ponds and lakes
  • Distribution: northern South America
  • Numbers: no precise estimates available
  • Status: CITIES Appendix I
    • heavily exploited for food by humans
    • both turtles and eggs are consumed

Conservation Efforts

  • Tortoise and Freshwater Turtles: An Action Plan for their Conservation

Research and Investigation Programs

  • AZA North American Region studbook for South American River Turtles (Genus Podocnemus) was published in 1992
  • Molecular genetics techniques to investigate the pedigree of captive specimens
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