Orestias cuvieri
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Orestias cuvieri 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. Introduced trout species compete directly for resources and prey upon native pupfish populations. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through altered precipitation patterns and increased evaporation rates in high-altitude aquatic environments.
Habitat
This endemic pupfish inhabits high-altitude freshwater lakes and associated wetlands in the Altiplano of Peru and Bolivia, typically at elevations above 3,500 meters. The species requires shallow, well-oxygenated waters with specific temperature and salinity ranges found in these isolated Andean lake systems.
