Giant Caryota
CR

Giant Caryota

Caryota kiriwongensis

Declining

Photo: Photo: (c) Javier Alejandro, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Javier Alejandro

Overview

Caryota kiriwongensis, also known as the giant caryota, is a palm of peninsular Thailand. It belongs to the palm family Palmae or Arecaceae.

Caryota kiriwongensis faces severe population decline due to its extremely restricted range in Thailand's Khao Luang National Park. The species is threatened by habitat degradation from tourism pressure and infrastructure development within its montane forest habitat. Collection pressure for horticultural trade poses an additional risk to the remaining wild populations of this endemic palm.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic palm species inhabits montane tropical forests at elevations between 900-1,200 meters in southern Thailand. It grows in the understory of primary and secondary forests within Khao Luang National Park, preferring humid conditions with well-drained soils.

Rocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionEx-situ conservation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Giant Caryota classified as Critically Endangered?
Giant Caryota is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Caryota kiriwongensis faces severe population decline due to its extremely restricted range in Thailand's Khao Luang National Park. The species is threatened by habitat degradation from tourism pressure and infrastructure development within its montane forest habitat. Collection pressure for horticultural trade poses an additional risk to the remaining wild populations of this endemic palm.
Where does Giant Caryota live?
Giant Caryota occurs in Thailand. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Giant Caryota?
The main threats to Giant Caryota are 2.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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