Meet Our Animals > South American River Turtle
 
Quick Facts
Native to Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
Primary Diet Fruits, seeds, flowers, roots, aquatic plants
Adult Weight 100 pounds
Lifespan 20 years
Status Lower Risk/Conservation Dependent

South American River Turtle

This turtle lives in the Amazon and Orinoco River systems. It’s part of the family “Pelomedusidae,” which contains the side-necked turtles. These turtles have a long neck that can be withdrawn horizontally within the shell, leaving it partly exposed, rather than retracting it in a vertical “S” bend as in most other turtles.

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