CR

Eriotheca peruviana

Declining

Overview

Eriotheca peruviana is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is found only in Peru.

Eriotheca peruviana faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat conversion for agriculture and cattle ranching across its limited range in the Peruvian Amazon. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its restricted distribution and slow growth rate, making recovery from habitat loss extremely difficult. Mining activities and infrastructure development have further fragmented the remaining forest patches where this tree species occurs.

Threat summary

Habitat

Eriotheca peruviana inhabits lowland tropical rainforests of the Peruvian Amazon basin, typically occurring in well-drained soils of primary forest areas. The species is found in the understory and canopy layers of humid tropical forests at elevations below 500 meters.

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservation

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Copper Shark

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Eriotheca peruviana classified as Critically Endangered?
Eriotheca peruviana 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. Eriotheca peruviana faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat conversion for agriculture and cattle ranching across its limited range in the Peruvian Amazon. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its restricted distribution and slow growth rate, making recovery from habitat loss extremely difficult. Mining activities and infrastructure development have further fragmented the remaining forest patches where this tree species occurs.
Where does Eriotheca peruviana live?
Eriotheca peruviana occurs in Peru. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Eriotheca peruviana?
The main threats to Eriotheca peruviana 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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