Yellow-spotted River Turtle Nests for relocation

Yellow-spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) nests being dug up to be relocated.
CITES II VULNERABLE.
Orinoco River, 110 Km north of Puerto Ayacucho. Apure Province, VENEZUELA. South America.
HABITAT: Mostly in secondary tributaries of main rivers. Only to main rivers during nesting season when sand banks exposed.RANGE: Amazonia, Llanos & Orinoco of Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guianas, Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia.

During the egg laying season staff sleep on the nesting beaches to monitor the nests. All nests layed on low lying ground are dug up and relocated to an area not likely to flood. They are then surrounded by a net to catch all hatchlings who will then spend the first year of their life in captivity to increase their chances of survival.

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Filename: OR680_Yellow-spotted_River_Turtle_Nests_for_relocation.jpg
Copyright: © Pete Oxford
Image Size: 5515x3663 / 12.4MB; Apure Province Nest Orinoco River Podocnemis unifilis Puerto Ayacucho Science South America Venezuela Yellow-spotted River Turtle egg
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Yellow-spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) nests being dug up to be relocated.<br />
CITES II VULNERABLE.<br />
Orinoco River, 110 Km north of Puerto Ayacucho. Apure Province, VENEZUELA. South America. <br />
HABITAT: Mostly in secondary tributaries of main rivers. Only to main rivers during nesting season when sand banks exposed.RANGE: Amazonia, Llanos & Orinoco of Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guianas, Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia.<br />
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During the egg laying season staff sleep on the nesting beaches to monitor the nests. All nests layed on low lying ground are dug up and relocated to an area not likely to flood. They are then surrounded by a net to catch all hatchlings who will then spend the first year of their life in captivity to increase their chances of survival.