Ravenea lakatra
CR

Ravenea lakatra

Declining

Photo: (c) Bill Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bill Baker

Overview

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

Ravenea lakatra faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and slash-and-burn farming practices that have fragmented its remaining forest habitat in Madagascar. The species is further threatened by selective logging for construction materials and the collection of its seeds and young plants for the horticultural trade. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat through altered precipitation patterns that could affect the moist forest conditions this palm requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Ravenea lakatra is endemic to the humid lowland and mid-elevation rainforests of eastern Madagascar, typically growing in moist, well-drained soils along forest edges and in secondary forest areas. The species requires consistent moisture and partial shade provided by the forest canopy.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryPolicies and regulations

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ravenea lakatra classified as Critically Endangered?
Ravenea lakatra 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. Ravenea lakatra faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and slash-and-burn farming practices that have fragmented its remaining forest habitat in Madagascar. The species is further threatened by selective logging for construction materials and the collection of its seeds and young plants for the horticultural trade. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat through altered precipitation patterns that could affect the moist forest conditions this palm requires.
Where does Ravenea lakatra live?
Ravenea lakatra occurs in Madagascar. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Ravenea lakatra?
The main threats to Ravenea lakatra are 2.1, 2.1.1, 5.3, and 5.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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