Thousands of Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtles Released

More than 3,000 yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) hatchlings were released into the local environment of San Jose de Lupuna, Peru. The Amazon River turtles were released on the shores of the Amazon River with the assistance of local children.

The yellow-spotted river turtle is a medium-sized, side-necked turtle, with females growing to around 28 inches and males growing to around two feet in carapace length. They are omnivores, feeding on fruits, seeds, weeds, invertebrates and fish.

They are found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, and Venezuela. The species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.