Hyophorbe vaughanii
CR

Hyophorbe vaughanii

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

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

Hyophorbe vaughanii faces extinction primarily due to its extremely restricted range on Round Island, Mauritius, where fewer than 10 mature individuals remain. The species has suffered from habitat degradation caused by introduced rabbits and goats that destroyed native vegetation for decades. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased cyclone intensity and sea-level rise affecting the low-lying coastal areas where the palm grows. The tiny population size makes the species extremely vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered palm is endemic to Round Island, a small islet off the northern coast of Mauritius. It grows in coastal scrubland and rocky areas on this 1.69 square kilometer island, adapted to the harsh conditions of exposed limestone terrain with thin soils.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Hyophorbe vaughanii classified as Critically Endangered?
Hyophorbe vaughanii 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. Hyophorbe vaughanii faces extinction primarily due to its extremely restricted range on Round Island, Mauritius, where fewer than 10 mature individuals remain. The species has suffered from habitat degradation caused by introduced rabbits and goats that destroyed native vegetation for decades. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased cyclone intensity and sea-level rise affecting the low-lying coastal areas where the palm grows. The tiny population size makes the species extremely vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.
Where does Hyophorbe vaughanii live?
Hyophorbe vaughanii occurs in Mauritius. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Hyophorbe vaughanii?
The main threats to Hyophorbe vaughanii 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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