Vitellariopsis kirkii
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Vitellariopsis kirkii faces significant pressure from deforestation and habitat conversion across its East African range, particularly in Tanzania and Kenya where coastal forests are being cleared for agriculture and development. The species' dependence on mature forest ecosystems makes it especially vulnerable to fragmentation, as remaining populations become isolated in increasingly small forest patches. Overexploitation for timber and traditional uses further compounds these pressures, with local communities harvesting the species faster than natural regeneration can occur.
Habitat
Vitellariopsis kirkii occurs in coastal and lowland tropical forests of East Africa, typically in areas with well-drained soils and moderate to high rainfall. The species is associated with mature forest ecosystems and forest edges, often found in mixed species stands within the coastal forest belt of Tanzania and Kenya.
