Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle
Scientific Name
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Order
Range
Habitat
Estimated Wild Population
More Information
Physical Description
Yellow-spotted Amazon River turtles are some of the largest turtles in South America, with females reaching up to twice the size of males. They have a dark upper shell and yellow spots across their head. Both sexes eat a variety of food, ranging from fruit and plant material to fish and small invertebrates. Females lay two clutches each year, with as many as three dozen eggs per clutch. After hatching from nests dug into sandy riverbanks, newborns take to the river.
Interesting Fact 1
Yellow-spotted Amazon River turtles can live up to 70 years.
Interesting Fact 2
These turtles occupy tributaries and lakes along the Amazon River but travel inland during annual floods.
Interesting Fact 3
Males court females by nipping at their feet and tail.
Commitment to Care
Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.
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Wish List
The Wish List is full of one-of-a-kind items for the zoo’s animals, including nutritious snacks and enrichment items to keep them active and healthy.
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Wildlife face many daunting challenges—some global, like planet-wide climate change, and some that affect individuals, like an animal ingesting plastic—but now is not the time to despair. None of these problems are too big for us to come together and solve.
