The hicatee (Dermatemys mawii) is a Central American river turtle and one of the 25 most endangered turtle species in the world. Over-hunting for meat, eggs, and shells is driving the turtles toward extinction. This 3-page fact sheet about the hicatee includes its natural history, reproductive habits, and ecology and describes the international conservation efforts to save the fascinating but fast-disappearing turtle. Written by Venetia Briggs-Gonzalez, Nathan Schwartz, Rebecca G. Harvey, and Frank J. Mazzotti and published in November 2015 by the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw404

Featured Image: Female (left) and male (right) hicatee. (Figure 3) Credit: Mallory Clark.

This publication is in support of a collaborative program of the UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Department‘s Program for Tropical Ecology and Conservation Science with several partners, including the Tropical Education Center & Belize Zoo, Friends for Conservation & Development & Las Cuevas Research Station, and Marine Tropical Research & Education Center.

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