Zaedyus pichiy

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	MAMMALIA	CINGULATA	DASYPODIDAE

Scientific Name:

Zaedyus pichiy

Species Authority:

(Desmarest, 1804)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Pichi
Spanish	–	Piche

Taxonomic Notes:

Two subspecies are described but require confirmation: Z. p. pichiy and Z. p. caurinus (Gardner 2007).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

Superina, M. & Abba, A.M.

Reviewer/s:

Roig, V.G. & Seitz, V.

Contributor/s:

Roig, V.G.

Justification:
Zaedyus pichiy is listed as Near Threatened as, although relatively widespread and present in a number of protected areas, it is hunted significantly, especially in northern and eastern portions of its range, with local extinctions recorded in some areas; there is little known about the declines in the southern part of its range. Across its range, the species is thought likely to have undergone a decline in the order of 20% over the past 10 years or so. It almost qualifies as Threatened under criterion A2d.

History:

2006	–	Near Threatened (IUCN 2006)
2006	–	Near Threatened
1996	–	Data Deficient

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This small armadillo ranges from Argentina (Mendoza, San Luis, and southwestern Buenos Aires) and eastern Chile south to the Straits of Magellan. It is found from sea level to 2,500 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Chile
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Z. pichiy is not abundant in southern Buenos Aires Province (A.M. Abba pers. comm. 2004), and its abundance has declined in Mendoza Province within the last 10 years (M. Superina pers. comm. 2004).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This mostly solitary species is found in desert, xeric grassland and shrubland, and Patagonian steppe habitats, always with sandy soils (including volcanic soil). It can be found in some degraded habitats. Animals have a relatively large home range within their arid habitat. The female gives birth to one or two young.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Z. pichiy is threatened by hunting for food and sport, including hunting with dogs. An epidemic of an unknown disease has locally affected the species in some areas, and appears to be associated with rainy periods. It is threatened to some degree by overgrazing of its habitat by cattle.

Major Threat(s):

Z. pichiy is threatened by hunting for food and sport, including hunting with dogs. An epidemic of an unknown disease has locally affected the species in some areas, and appears to be associated with rainy periods. It is threatened to some degree by overgrazing of its habitat by cattle.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Z. pichiy is present in many protected areas. Hunting of this species in Argentina and Chile continues, even though this is prohibited.

Conservation Actions:

Z. pichiy is present in many protected areas. Hunting of this species in Argentina and Chile continues, even though this is prohibited.

Citation:	Superina, M. & Abba, A.M. 2010. Zaedyus pichiy. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 May 2013.
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