REPRODUCCIÓN DE LA TARICAYA Podocnemis unifilis TROSCHEL 1848 (TESTUDINES: PODOCNEMIDIDAE) EN LA VÁRZEA DEL MEDIO SOLIMÃES, AMAZONAS, BRASIL.

I studied the nesting biology of Podocnemis unifilis from July to November 1998 in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve located in the Solimões River near Tefé, mazonas, Brazil. Podocnemis unifilis nested in August and September, with the hatching event occurring in October and November. Nests were excavated in clay soils (67.5%), sand (25%), and leaf litter (7.5%). Hatching success was highest in the sand beach nests and lowest in the clay banks nests. Humans and the tegu lizard (Tupinambis) were the main egg predators. This turtle population can be recuperated only by nesting beaches protection, educational programs for the inhabitants of the Reserve, participation of the community in the conservation and management program, and permanent guarding of the nesting beaches by the Instituto Brasilero de los Recursos Naturales y del Medio Ambiente personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]