Espeletia tunjana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Espeletia tunjana faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle grazing in Colombia's Eastern Cordillera páramo ecosystems. Mining activities and infrastructure development have fragmented its already restricted high-altitude habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures force páramo species to migrate upslope, with limited suitable habitat available at higher elevations.
Habitat
This endemic frailejón inhabits high-altitude páramo ecosystems between 3,200-4,000 meters elevation in Colombia's Eastern Cordillera. It grows in open, humid grasslands and shrublands characterized by constant mist, low temperatures, and specialized soils typical of Andean páramo environments.