Ecuador Extinct and Endangered Species

As of June 24th, 2015, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for ECUADOR in northwestern South America lists seven extinct species and six extinct-in-the-wild species since the beginning of IUCN recordkeeping, 333 critically endangered species, and 804 endangered species. One explanation for the high number of extinct and endangered species is the geographic fact that the biodiverse Amazon Rainforest lies within Ecuador. In addition, the general Ecuadorian environment has been negatively affected by human activities such as deforestation, logging, and mining. The seven extinct species are the Darwin's Galapagos Mouse, Galapagos Giant Rat, Indefatigable Galapagos Mouse, Longnose Stubfoot Toad, Quito Stubfoot Toad, Blutaparon rigidum amaranth plant, and Littoridina gaudichaudii freshwater snail. The six extinct-in-the-wild species are the Borrachero plant and five Brugmansia genus species. Having flowers known as Angel's Trumpets, Brugmansia species listed as extinct in the wild are Guamuco plants (comprised of two species: B. sanguinea and B. vulcanicola), B. aurea, B. insignis, and B. versicolor.

Some critically endangered species include the Andean Catfish, Floreana Coral, Galapagos Petrel, Galapagos Stringweed, Hawksbill Turtle, Largetooth Sawfish, Loja Water Frog, Mangrove Finch, Napo Cochran Frog, and Turquoise-throated Puffleg bird.

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