Title
Reproductive parameters of Podocnemis unifilis in the Beni River, Bolivia / Parámetros reproductivos de Podocnemis unifilis en el Río Beni, Bolivia
Author(s)
Pamela Carvajal; Guido Miranda; Robert Wallace
Published
2011
Publisher
Revista Boliviana de Ecología y Conservación Ambiental
Abstract
Several communities of the Takana Indigenous Territory in northern La Paz Department, Bolivia use the river turtle Podocenmis unifilis primarily as a food source, as well as the occasional commercial sale of eggs. In agreement with the Takana communities and in order to focus conservation efforts on these turtles we studied the reproduction of P. unifilis through monitoring of spawning, incubation and hatching on a sheltered beach. P. unifilis nests were mainly lost to flooding events and human predation. The highest hatching rates were observed in nests located in the intermediate zone of the beach, between the river and vegetation. Neonate mortality was mainly caused by attacks of Diptera larvae. Nest transplantation was demonstrated as feasible to improve the reproductive success of the species. These activities, partnered with beach protection, could maintain or increase populations of this important resource for local communities. / En Bolivia, al norte del Departamento de La Paz, varias comunidades de la Tierra Comunitaria de Origen Takana utilizan la peta de rio Podocnemis unifilis principalmente como fuente de alimento, aunque en ocasiones tambien venden los huevos. Como una forma de enfocar esfuerzos que ayuden a la conservacion, se estudio la reproduccion de P. unifilis a traves del seguimiento del desove, incubacion y eclosion en una playa vigilada, previo acuerdo con las comunidades aledanas. Los nidos de P. unifilis se perdieron sobre todo por las inundaciones y la depredacion humana. Las mayores tasas de ecolosion se registraron en nidos ubicados en una zona intermedia de la playa, entre el curso del agua y la vegetacion. Los neonatos murieron principalmente por el ataque de larvas de Dipteros. De manera preliminar, el transplante de nidos resulto viable, para incrementar el exito reproductive de P. unifilis en la zona, por lo que el transplante, junto al cuidado de playas podrian ser apropados para mantener e incluso aumentar, las poblaciones de la peta de rio.
Keywords
Takana; Podocnemis unifilis; reproduction; nesting; Bolivia; reproduction; nests; nesting
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