Rufous Mouse Opossum
VU

Rufous Mouse Opossum

Marmosa lepida

Unknown

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

Overview

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

The Rufous Mouse Opossum faces severe pressure from rapid deforestation across its limited Andean range, with agricultural expansion and cattle ranching fragmenting its cloud forest habitat. Mining activities and infrastructure development further reduce available territory, while climate change threatens to shift suitable habitat zones upslope beyond the species' elevational limits. The combination of habitat loss and the species' restricted geographic range makes population recovery particularly challenging.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Rufous Mouse Opossum inhabits montane cloud forests and humid tropical forests in the Andes, typically at elevations between 1,500-3,000 meters. It prefers dense forest canopy with abundant epiphytes and maintains territories in both primary and moderately disturbed secondary forest areas.

Other threatened species in Didelphidae

Slim-faced Slender Mouse OpossumEN

Slim-faced Slender Mouse Opossum

Marmosops cracens

Unknown
Wood Sprite Gracile Mouse OpossumEN

Wood Sprite Gracile Mouse Opossum

Gracilinanus dryas

Unknown
Caluromys derbianusVU

Caluromys derbianus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Rufous Mouse Opossum classified as Vulnerable?
Rufous Mouse Opossum is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Rufous Mouse Opossum faces severe pressure from rapid deforestation across its limited Andean range, with agricultural expansion and cattle ranching fragmenting its cloud forest habitat. Mining activities and infrastructure development further reduce available territory, while climate change threatens to shift suitable habitat zones upslope beyond the species' elevational limits. The combination of habitat loss and the species' restricted geographic range makes population recovery particularly challenging.
Where does Rufous Mouse Opossum live?
Rufous Mouse Opossum 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 Rufous Mouse Opossum?
The main threats to Rufous Mouse Opossum 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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