Pelecanus thagus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PELECANIFORMES	PELECANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Pelecanus thagus

Species Authority:

Molina, 1782

Common Name/s:

English

–

Peruvian Pelican

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Calvert, R., Symes, A., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Zavalaga, C., Monteiro, A., Simeone, A., Garcia-Godos, I., Jaramillo, A.

Justification:
Although the population of this species is now stable or perhaps even increasing, it is likely to still be recovering after dramatic declines in the El Nino year of 1998. It could suffer similar declines in the future if conditions were repeated, for these reasons it is classified as Near Threatened.

History:

2008	–	Near Threatened
2006	–	Not Recognized
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is restricted to the coast of central Peru and Chile. Although the population may currently exceed 500,000 mature individuals¹, this is a fraction of former numbers and numbers fluctuate greatly in association with El Niño, and with numbers of schooling anchoveta Engraulis ringens.
Countries:	Native: Chile; Peru Vagrant: Ecuador
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The most recent population estimate places it at 100,000-1,000,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2006).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It breeds in large colonies on rocky coasts, feeding in shallow offshore waters along the coast on small schooling fish¹.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is likely to have been as badly affected by the El Niño event of 1998 as other Humboldt Current species such as Inca Tern Larosterna inca, which declines over this period approached 30%. Pelicans are notoriously susceptible to disturbance at breeding colonies, either intentional (e.g. by fishermen), or unintentional (e.g. by tourists).

Major Threat(s):

It is likely to have been as badly affected by the El Niño event of 1998 as other Humboldt Current species such as Inca Tern Larosterna inca, which declines over this period approached 30%. Pelicans are notoriously susceptible to disturbance at breeding colonies, either intentional (e.g. by fishermen), or unintentional (e.g. by tourists).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway None is known. Conservation Actions Proposed Survey to assess population size. Regularly monitor at certain sites throughout its range to determine population trends, particularly after El Niño years. Restrict access to important breeding colonies. Study the interactions between this species and the fisheries.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey to assess population size. Regularly monitor at certain sites throughout its range to determine population trends, particularly after El Niño years. Restrict access to important breeding colonies. Study the interactions between this species and the fisheries.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Pelecanus thagus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 February 2012.
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