Yellow-headed Sideneck Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis)

On every fallen tree in the oxbow lake at the Amazon Research and Conservation Center (ARCC) there was one or more turtle sunbathing and it seems this rather uncommon species was the most abundant here.

Even though I approached them very slowly, they perceived any human a threat and thus jumped into the water for safety when I crossed a certain distance.

Here you can see it’s preparing a move, as the left front leg is angled for a change of position than a resting one.

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Recently updated on 12 March 2015