The Arrau river turtle or giant South American turtle ( Podocnemis expansa ) and the yellow-spotted river turtle ( Podocnemis unifilis ) have wide distributions within the Orinoco and Amazon River basins. Both of them have been exploited since pre-colonial times as a protein source by indigenous groups, and have also played an important cultural role. The chroniclers that traveled these wide regions between the 18th and beginning of the 20th centuries recorded evidence of their abundance, traditional uses, hunting methods, changes in processes and intensity of exploitation, and sociocultural and socioeconomic importance. We present a compilation of traditional uses from local human communities as well as an analysis of its impact on the conservation of both species. Also, we put forth a general review of the uses and capture methods for these species in the last few decades, which reveal the important role that they still play among the indigenous and rural communities.