Orestias chungarensis
CR

Orestias chungarensis

Declining

Photo: (c) Richard Hasegawa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Richard Hasegawa

Overview

Orestias chungarensis is a species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to Lake Chungara in Chile.

Orestias chungarensis faces severe threats from water extraction and diversion for agricultural and mining activities in the Altiplano region, which has dramatically reduced water levels in its native lake systems. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through increased evaporation rates and altered precipitation patterns at high altitude. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to any environmental changes, with entire populations at risk from single disturbance events.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic pupfish inhabits high-altitude freshwater lakes and associated wetlands in the Altiplano of northern Chile and southern Peru, typically at elevations above 4,000 meters. The species is adapted to the extreme conditions of these saline and alkaline lake systems, which experience dramatic temperature fluctuations and intense UV radiation.

Wetlands (inland)· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protection

Other threatened species in CYPRINODONTIDAE

Hispaniola PupfishEN

Hispaniola Pupfish

Cyprinodon bondi

Unknown
VU

Andean Killfish

Orestias munda

Declining
Bighead PupfishCR

Bighead Pupfish

Cyprinodon pachycephalus

Declining
VU

San Ignacio Pupfish

Cyprinodon bobmilleri

Unknown

Threatened in Chile

VU

Juan Fernandez Petrel

Pterodroma externa

Stable
VU

Black Petrel

Procellaria parkinsoni

Stable
VU

Chimney Swift

Chaetura pelagica

Declining
VU

Pink-footed Shearwater

Ardenna creatopus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Orestias chungarensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Orestias chungarensis 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. Orestias chungarensis faces severe threats from water extraction and diversion for agricultural and mining activities in the Altiplano region, which has dramatically reduced water levels in its native lake systems. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through increased evaporation rates and altered precipitation patterns at high altitude. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to any environmental changes, with entire populations at risk from single disturbance events.
Where does Orestias chungarensis live?
Orestias chungarensis occurs in Chile. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Orestias chungarensis?
The main threats to Orestias chungarensis are 3.2, 8.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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