Yellow-headed Sideneck
Yellow-headed SideneckYellow-headed SideneckYellow-headed SideneckYellow-headed Sideneck

Yellow-headed Sideneck

Podocnemis unifilis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Tambopata National Reserve
54 Verified records at Tambopata National Reserve
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), also known commonly as the yellow-headed sideneck turtle and the yellow-spotted river turtle, and locally as the taricaya, is one of the largest South American river turtles. Podocnemis unifilis is a type of side-necked turtles, so called because they do not pull their heads directly into their shells, but rather bend their necks sideways to tuck their heads under the rim of their shells. Side-neck turtles are classified as members of the suborder Pleurodira. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-headed Sideneck sighting in Tambopata National Reserve, based on 54 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Tambopata National Reserve

Arrau
NT

Arrau

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Podocnemis expansa

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
10–20
Feb
20–30
Mar
10–20
Apr
20–30
May
10–20
Jun
20–30
Jul
20–30
Aug
10–20
Sep
40–50
Oct
30–40
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
40–50%
2 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
30–40%
3 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
30–40%
4 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
20–30%
5 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
20–30%
6 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
10–20%
7 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
8 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
10–20%
9 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
10 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
Insufficient data
11 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Yellow-headed Sideneck in Tambopata National Reserve?

About 23% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-headed Sideneck sighting in Tambopata National Reserve, based on 54 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Yellow-headed Sideneck in Tambopata National Reserve?

October has the highest sighting rate for Yellow-headed Sideneck in Tambopata National Reserve in our monthly data.

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