Title
Podocnemis unifilis (Yellow-spotted River Turtle). Juvenile Movement
Author(s)
Cueva, Ruben;Naveda-Rodriguez, Adrian;Zapata-Rios, Galo
Published
2018
Publisher
Herpetological Review
Abstract
Podocnemis unifilis plays key ecological roles in Amazonian aquatic ecosystems and has cultural and economic significance for indigenous peoples. This species is threatened by water pollution, subsistence hunting, and wildlife trafficking, and as a result, populations have been reduced significantly. Since 2008, the Wildlife Conservation Society in Ecuador, in partnership with nine indigenous communities, has implemented a management and conservation program for this species in the northern section of Yasunf National Park in Ecuador (0°31'14.70"S, 76°22'52.95''WJ. Program activities included headstarting and protection of nesting sites,analyses of movement patterns and population monitoring, and awareness building and education. Between August 2015 and June 2016, we radio-tracked 15 juvenile individuals in a 60-km section of the Napo River. Turtles were measured (mean straight-line carapace length ± SD = 107 ± 31.2 mm, and mean body mass ± SD = 272 ± 200 g) and fitted with a radio tracking transmitter (H467, Telenax, Mexico). Seven turtles were captive-reared for one year, and eight were wild-caught with the assistance of local community members. Turtles were released at their nesting beaches or capture locations in the Napa River. We radio tracked the turtles on a daily basis, two weeks per month, using a handheld receiver (RX-RLNX, Telenax, Mexico) and a three element Yagi antenna.

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PUB23102