*F

Laterallus spilonotus            Galapagos Rail        Vulnerable

above information from
<http://www.iucnredlist.org>

* -- From Galapagos Islands
*F -- From Floreana
*E -- From Hood (Espanola)

Important facts:

-threats: invasive species (cats, dogs, pigs, goats – habitat destruction from grazing), humans (destroying its habitat), invasive plant species (ex: Cinchona – it takes over and fern and sedge vegetation are part of Rail’s diet and are being killed off by this and similar plants)

-former stability is thought to be weakening (currently population is decreasing); currently 5,000 to 10,000 individuals (from Birdlife International)

-terrestrial habitat; (possible problem with the destruction of habitat and plant foods disappearing)

Solutions:

-monitor species and their development
-attempt to target some of the invasive species such as the black rat which is particularly destructive
  towards the Galapagos Rail (and possibly penguin and petrel, too!)


Sources:
IUCN 2003. 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.redlist.org>. Downloaded on 2 October 2004.

BirdLife International (2004) Species factsheet: Laterallus spilonotus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/19/2004

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