Podocnemis sextuberculata
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The six-tubercled Amazon river turtle faces severe pressure from overexploitation for its meat and eggs, which are highly valued in local markets throughout the Amazon basin. Habitat degradation from deforestation, mining activities, and dam construction along major river systems has reduced suitable nesting beaches and altered water flow patterns critical for reproduction. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns that affect river levels and nesting site availability.
Habitat
This species inhabits slow-moving rivers, oxbow lakes, and flooded forests throughout the Amazon basin, particularly favoring areas with sandy beaches suitable for nesting. It requires both aquatic environments for feeding and terrestrial nesting sites along riverbanks during the dry season.
