Mountain Ermel
EN

Mountain Ermel

Ethmia pyrausta

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethmia_pyrausta

Overview

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

The Mountain Ermel faces severe habitat degradation due to agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its montane forest habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures force this high-altitude specialist to retreat to increasingly limited suitable elevations. Deforestation for timber extraction and human settlement development has fragmented its already restricted range across Central American cloud forests.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Mountain Ermel inhabits montane cloud forests and humid highland areas between 1,200-2,400 meters elevation. It requires dense forest canopy with abundant epiphytic growth and consistent moisture levels typical of tropical mountain ecosystems.

Other threatened species in Ethmiidae

Viper's Bugloss MothEN

Viper's Bugloss Moth

Ethmia bipunctella

Unknown
Striped ErmelCR

Striped Ermel

Ethmia pusiella

Unknown

Threatened in Åland Islands

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
VU

Syndyas nigripes

Unknown
Chrysotus cupreusCR

Chrysotus cupreus

Unknown
VU

narulukkokiiluri

Syntormon filiger

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Mountain Ermel classified as Endangered?
Mountain Ermel is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Mountain Ermel faces severe habitat degradation due to agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its montane forest habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures force this high-altitude specialist to retreat to increasingly limited suitable elevations. Deforestation for timber extraction and human settlement development has fragmented its already restricted range across Central American cloud forests.
Where does Mountain Ermel live?
Mountain Ermel occurs in Åland Islands, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Russia, and Serbia (plus 3 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Mountain Ermel?
The main threats to Mountain Ermel 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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