South American River Turtle
CR

South American River Turtle

Podocnemis expansa

Unknown

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The South American River Turtle faces severe population declines due to intensive exploitation for eggs and meat, which has devastated nesting populations across its range. Habitat destruction from dam construction, mining, and deforestation along river systems has further fragmented populations and degraded critical nesting beaches. Climate change and altered river flows compound these pressures by affecting nesting success and food availability.

Threat summary

Habitat

Large river systems throughout the Amazon and Orinoco basins, including main river channels, tributaries, oxbow lakes, and seasonal floodplains. Requires sandy beaches and riverbanks for communal nesting, particularly on islands and elevated shores that remain above flood levels.

FRESHWATER· majorFRESHWATER· major

Frequently asked questions

Why is South American River Turtle classified as Critically Endangered?
South American River Turtle is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The South American River Turtle faces severe population declines due to intensive exploitation for eggs and meat, which has devastated nesting populations across its range. Habitat destruction from dam construction, mining, and deforestation along river systems has further fragmented populations and degraded critical nesting beaches. Climate change and altered river flows compound these pressures by affecting nesting success and food availability.
Where does South American River Turtle live?
South American River Turtle occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to South American River Turtle?
The main threats to South American River Turtle are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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