EN

Espeletia nemekenei

Unknown

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Espeletia nemekenei faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle grazing in Colombia's páramo ecosystems, where livestock trampling destroys individual plants and prevents natural regeneration. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures force this high-altitude specialist toward increasingly restricted mountaintop refugia. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment its already limited habitat range in the Eastern Cordillera.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species is endemic to the high-altitude páramo ecosystems of Colombia's Eastern Cordillera, typically occurring between 3,200-4,200 meters elevation. It inhabits open alpine grasslands and shrublands characterized by extreme temperature fluctuations, high UV radiation, and frequent frost conditions.

Grassland· major

Other threatened species in ASTERACEAE

EN

Bidens cosmoides

Declining
VU

Piptolepis monticola

Unknown
Libanothamnus parvulusCR

Libanothamnus parvulus

Declining
EN

Gynoxys neovelutina

Declining

Threatened in Colombia

EN

Helena's Marsupial Frog

Gastrotheca helenae

Stable
VU

Cavendishia macrocephala

Unknown
EN

Cavendishia sessiliflora

Unknown
VU

Macleania crassa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Espeletia nemekenei classified as Endangered?
Espeletia nemekenei is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Espeletia nemekenei faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle grazing in Colombia's páramo ecosystems, where livestock trampling destroys individual plants and prevents natural regeneration. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures force this high-altitude specialist toward increasingly restricted mountaintop refugia. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment its already limited habitat range in the Eastern Cordillera.
Where does Espeletia nemekenei live?
Espeletia nemekenei occurs in Colombia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Espeletia nemekenei?
The main threats to Espeletia nemekenei are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.