Zaglossus attenboroughi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	MONOTREMATA	TACHYGLOSSIDAE

Scientific Name:

Zaglossus attenboroughi

Species Authority:

Flannery & Groves, 1998

Common Name/s:

English

–

Attenborough's Echidna, Cyclops Long-beaked Echidna, Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Critically Endangered B1ab(iii,v) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Aplin, K., Salas, L. & Dickman, C.
Reviewer/s:	Lamoreux, J. & Hilton-Taylor, C. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Critically Endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 100 km², all individuals are in a single location, there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, and a decline in the number of mature individuals due to hunting.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from one specimen collected in 1961 at 1,600 m asl, from a single mountain of Berg Rara in the Cyclops Mountains in extreme northern Papua Province, Indonesia. It has not been located in the adjacent mountain ranges of Torricelli and Bewani (there are fossil records from the Bewani range). It could be found in the Foja Range, which has not been adequately surveyed. An expedition to the Cyclops Mountains in May 2007 found evidence of the species (recent digging activity and burrows), and there was local knowledge of the species that implied its continued existence there, although no echidna was sighted (J. Baillie, in litt.). This expedition concluded that the species probably occurs also at lower elevations than previously thought; 166 to 1,600 m.
Countries:	Native: Indonesia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species has not been recorded since 1961. An expedition to the Cyclops Mountains in May 2007 found evidence of the species (recent digging activity and burrows), and there was local knowledge of the species that implied its continued existence there. It is thought to have been distributed more widely. It is a large animal that probably occurred at low density and would not have existed in such a small area naturally.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

This species has not been recorded since 1961. An expedition to the Cyclops Mountains in May 2007 found evidence of the species (recent digging activity and burrows), and there was local knowledge of the species that implied its continued existence there. It is thought to have been distributed more widely. It is a large animal that probably occurred at low density and would not have existed in such a small area naturally.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is found in tropical montane moss forest. It is likely that this species lays eggs (given what is known of its congeners and from local reports) and the primary food is worms.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Hunting by local people continues to be a major threat (J. Baillie, in litt.). The habitat is also being degraded by logging and by the expansion of small-scale agriculture.

Major Threat(s):

Hunting by local people continues to be a major threat (J. Baillie, in litt.). The habitat is also being degraded by logging and by the expansion of small-scale agriculture.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. The area from which the single specimen was collected has been declared a reserve (Flannery and Groves 1998). There is a need to enforce the protection of this area and conduct additional surveys in suitable habitat for remaining populations on Berg Rara and in the Foja Range. Further research is needed into the natural history of the species and into conservation measures to protect it.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. The area from which the single specimen was collected has been declared a reserve (Flannery and Groves 1998). There is a need to enforce the protection of this area and conduct additional surveys in suitable habitat for remaining populations on Berg Rara and in the Foja Range. Further research is needed into the natural history of the species and into conservation measures to protect it.

Bibliography [top]

	Flannery, T. F. and Groves, C. P. 1988. A revision of the genus Zaglossus (Monotremata, Tachyglossidae), with description of new species and subspecies. Mammalia 62: 367-396.

Flannery, T. F. and Groves, C. P. 1988. A revision of the genus Zaglossus (Monotremata, Tachyglossidae), with description of new species and subspecies. Mammalia 62: 367-396.

Citation:	Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Aplin, K., Salas, L. & Dickman, C. 2008. Zaglossus attenboroughi. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2013.
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