CR

Espeletia paipana

Declining

Overview

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

Espeletia paipana faces severe threats from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in the Colombian páramos, which directly destroys its specialized high-altitude habitat. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the remaining populations. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat by shifting temperature and precipitation patterns in these sensitive montane ecosystems, potentially forcing the species to migrate to higher elevations where suitable habitat may not exist.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species is endemic to the páramo ecosystems of the Eastern Cordillera in Colombia, specifically occurring at elevations between 3,200-4,000 meters. It inhabits the characteristic high-altitude tropical alpine grasslands and shrublands that experience cool temperatures, high humidity, and frequent fog.

Grassland· major

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Cavendishia sessiliflora

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Macleania crassa

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Espeletia paipana classified as Critically Endangered?
Espeletia paipana 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. Espeletia paipana faces severe threats from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in the Colombian páramos, which directly destroys its specialized high-altitude habitat. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the remaining populations. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat by shifting temperature and precipitation patterns in these sensitive montane ecosystems, potentially forcing the species to migrate to higher elevations where suitable habitat may not exist.
Where does Espeletia paipana live?
Espeletia paipana 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 paipana?
The main threats to Espeletia paipana 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.

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