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

Yellow-headed Sideneck

Podocnemis unifilis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Yasuní National Park
88 Verified records at Yasuní National Park
November 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 →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-headed Sideneck sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 88 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Yasuní National Park

Arrau
NT

Arrau

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Podocnemis expansa

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
20–30
Feb
40–50
Mar
50–60
Apr
20–30
May
10–20
Jun
30–40
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
30–40
Oct
50–60
Nov
50–60
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 Yasuní National Park?

About 39% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-headed Sideneck sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 88 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Yellow-headed Sideneck in Yasuní National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Yellow-headed Sideneck in Yasuní National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Yasuní National Park