Snake Palm
CR

Snake Palm

Caryota ophiopellis

Declining

Photo: (c) Dominik Maximilián Ramík, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dominik Maximilián Ramík

Overview

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

Caryota ophiopellis faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited range. The species is further threatened by over-collection for ornamental purposes, as its distinctive fishtail palm fronds make it highly sought after in the horticultural trade. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that affect the moist forest conditions this palm requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered fishtail palm inhabits moist tropical forests and forest margins in Southeast Asia, typically growing in well-drained soils with consistent moisture. The species requires the humid microclimate of intact forest canopy and is particularly sensitive to habitat fragmentation.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Snake Palm classified as Critically Endangered?
Snake Palm 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. Caryota ophiopellis faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited range. The species is further threatened by over-collection for ornamental purposes, as its distinctive fishtail palm fronds make it highly sought after in the horticultural trade. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that affect the moist forest conditions this palm requires.
Where does Snake Palm live?
Snake Palm occurs in Vanuatu. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Snake Palm?
The main threats to Snake Palm are 2.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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