[5] Due to hunting of adults, collecting of their eggs, pollution, habitat loss, and dams, the Arrau turtle is seriously threatened.

[5][6][7][8] Arrau turtles are found in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana.

[5] They are found in deep rivers, ponds, freshwater lagoons and flooded forest[5] in white-, black- and clear-water.

[5] In addition to an overall smaller size, males can be recognized by their longer tail and straighter carapace than the females.

[10] Arrau turtles are brown, gray or olive-green,[10] but the exact color varies depending on the algae growing on the carapace.

[5][10] When hatching, the young are around 5 cm (2 in) long and dart directly for the water, but they emerge to the attentions of many predators so that only about five percent ever reach the adult feeding grounds.

[15] The Arrau turtle is widespread and was not considered threatened overall by the IUCN in 1996 (the year of the last full review),[1] but it has declined drastically,[12] and a draft review by the IUCN Species Survival Commission—Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group in 2011 recommended that it should be considered critically endangered.

[6] In addition to hunting and collecting of their eggs, threats include pollution, habitat loss,[5] and dams, which can cause flooding of nest sites.

[8] Several countries in their range have implemented laws protecting the species, but hunting and egg collection (even if illegal) continues.