Gentianella hirculus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Gentianella hirculus faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat degradation from agricultural intensification and overgrazing in its alpine and subalpine meadow environments. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures force this cold-adapted species to retreat to higher elevations with increasingly limited suitable habitat. The species' restricted range and small, fragmented populations make it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from these combined pressures.
Habitat
Gentianella hirculus inhabits alpine and subalpine grasslands, typically found in nutrient-poor, calcareous soils at elevations between 1,500-2,800 meters. The species thrives in open meadows and rocky slopes with well-drained soils, often associated with traditional low-intensity grazing systems that maintain the open character of its grassland habitat.