Podocnemis erythrocephala
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Red-headed Amazon River Turtle faces severe pressure from intensive egg collection and adult harvesting for local consumption and commercial trade throughout its range. Habitat degradation from deforestation, mining activities, and dam construction along Amazonian waterways has reduced suitable nesting beaches and altered river flow patterns critical for reproduction. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns affecting river levels and temperature-dependent sex determination in nests.
Habitat
This species inhabits slow-moving rivers, oxbow lakes, and flooded forests throughout the Amazon Basin, particularly in areas with sandy beaches suitable for nesting. It prefers quiet backwaters and tributaries with abundant aquatic vegetation and minimal human disturbance.
