CR

Puya gigas

Unknown

Overview

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

Puya gigas faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its restricted Andean range. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment its already limited populations. Climate change poses an additional risk by altering the specific temperature and precipitation patterns this high-altitude specialist requires for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

Puya gigas inhabits high-altitude Andean grasslands and rocky slopes between 3,000-4,200 meters elevation in Peru and Bolivia. This bromeliad species requires well-drained soils and specific microclimatic conditions found in montane puna ecosystems.

Other threatened species in Bromeliaceae

Puya clava-herculisVU

Puya clava-herculis

Unknown
Greigia sanctae-martaeCR

Greigia sanctae-martae

Unknown
CR

Pitcairnia similis

Unknown
EN

Greigia exserta

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Puya gigas classified as Critically Endangered?
Puya gigas 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. Puya gigas faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its restricted Andean range. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment its already limited populations. Climate change poses an additional risk by altering the specific temperature and precipitation patterns this high-altitude specialist requires for survival.
Where does Puya gigas live?
Puya gigas occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Puya gigas?
The main threats to Puya gigas 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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