Species of the Day: Golden Vizcacha Rat
© Ruben Barquez
Species of the Day: Golden Vizcacha Rat The Golden Vizcacha Rat, Pipanacoctomys aureus, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. It is known only from one small area at Salar de Pipanaco in the Catamarca province, Argentina, where it inhabits a narrow band of halophytic (salt-tolerant) plant habitat, and specializes on feeding on the halophytic plants. Geographical range
www.iucnredlist.org Help Save Species www.arkive.org
The main threat to the Golden Vizcacha Rat is habitat loss due to the expansion of olive plantations. Its global population is confined to a single location, and occupies a total area of less than ten square kilometres. Therefore any threats at this site have the potential to wipe out the entire species. There are no known specific conservation measures currently in place for the Golden Vizcacha Rat, and the species does not occur in any protected areas. With such a small and declining area of habitat, urgent conservation action is likely to be needed if the species is to be saved from extinction.
Species of the Day is sponsored by
The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership: IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife International, Conservation International, NatureServe and Zoological Society of London.
Species of the Day: Golden Vizcacha Rat The Golden Vizcacha Rat, Pipanacoctomys aureus, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. It is known only from one small area at Salar de Pipanaco in the Catamarca province, Argentina, where it inhabits a narrow band of halophytic (salt-tolerant) plant habitat, and specializes on feeding on the halophytic plants. Geographical range
www.iucnredlist.org Help Save Species www.arkive.org
The main threat to the Golden Vizcacha Rat is habitat loss due to the expansion of olive plantations. Its global population is confined to a single location, and occupies a total area of less than ten square kilometres. Therefore any threats at this site have the potential to wipe out the entire species. There are no known specific conservation measures currently in place for the Golden Vizcacha Rat, and the species does not occur in any protected areas. With such a small and declining area of habitat, urgent conservation action is likely to be needed if the species is to be saved from extinction.
Species of the Day is sponsored by
The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership: IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife International, Conservation International, NatureServe and Zoological Society of London.
