Dispersal of Phrynops geoffroanus (Chelidae) in an Urban River in Central Brazil

We studied dispersal of Phrynops geoffroanus in a polluted urban stream in central Brazil. Dispersal distances ranged from 0.0 to 115.0 m after 72 hours and home range size ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 ha. Turtle dispersal for adults and juveniles was accentuated in the first 3 hours with a predominantly upstream movement. Turtle size was significantly related to dispersal distance after 48 hours. Results suggest that the low dispersal rate and the small home range size reflect food supplementation provided by a polluted habitat.