Dracula berthae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Dracula berthae faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat conversion in Ecuador's cloud forests, where its extremely limited range makes it vulnerable to even small-scale disturbances. Mining activities and agricultural expansion in the Cordillera del Toisán region directly threaten the remaining populations. The species' highly specialized epiphytic lifestyle and dependence on specific microclimatic conditions make it particularly susceptible to climate change impacts on montane ecosystems.
Habitat
Dracula berthae is endemic to the cloud forests of the Cordillera del Toisán in Ecuador, where it grows as an epiphyte on moss-covered tree branches at elevations between 1,800-2,200 meters. The species requires the consistently humid, cool conditions and filtered light typical of pristine montane cloud forest ecosystems.