Santamartamys rufodorsalis
Photo: (c) ProAves Colombia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Overview
The red-crested tree-rat or Santa Marta toro is a species of tree-rat found in the monotypic genus Santamartamys in the family Echimyidae. It is nocturnal and is believed to feed on plant matter, and is mainly rufous, with young specimens having a grey coat. IUCN list the species as critically endangered: it is affected by feral cats, climate change, and the clearing of forest in its potential range in coastal Colombia.
Santamartamys rufodorsalis faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where its cloud forest habitat is being converted to coffee plantations and cattle ranching. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while climate change threatens to shift suitable temperature and moisture conditions upslope beyond the mountain's peaks. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the remaining forest patches critical for this endemic rodent's survival.
Habitat
This endemic rodent inhabits cloud forests and humid montane forests in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northern Colombia, typically found at elevations between 2,000-3,000 meters. The species requires dense forest canopy with high humidity levels and specific temperature ranges characteristic of these isolated mountain ecosystems.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in ECHIMYIDAE
Threatened in Colombia
Frequently asked questions
Why is Santamartamys rufodorsalis classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Santamartamys rufodorsalis live?
What are the main threats to Santamartamys rufodorsalis?
Get weekly conservation intelligence
One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.
Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.