Yellow-headed sideneck turtle  (Podocnemis unifilis)

The greatest threat to this species is hunting by indigenous people known as Yekuana Indians, as they previously regularly consumed the meat and eggs of this species. The number of poachers is thought to have increased in recent years, as demand for both turtle eggs and turtle meat increases (9).

Climate change can potentially threaten turtle species as the sex of offspring is determined by the temperature at which they are incubated. Should the temperature rise two degrees Celsius, the ratio of males to females could be severely skewed, and a rapid rise of four degrees Celsius could possibly eliminate males altogether. Turtles are seen as indicator species that can reveal the effects of climate change on the natural world (10).

As the main consumers of yellow-headed sideneck turtles, the indigenous Yekuana Indians are now trying to hunt the turtles sustainably. They have implemented a conservation program for the 12 main nesting sites of the turtle along the de Ninchare River and these areas are now protected from poachers by armed guards. Other conservation initiatives include rescuing clutches that are at risk of being flooded by rising rivers, as well as rearing yellow-headed sidenecked turtles commercially (2).