Tropical Andes

In this report 70 out of the 127 tree species evaluated were assessed as globally threatened based on the IUCN Red List of Categories and Criteria and a further 20 species classified as Near Threatened. Prior to this regional Red List report, 199 endemic tree species have been evaluated in national Red Listing initiatives. Including these national evaluations with the findings in this report, a total of 235 tree species have been identified as threatened in the tropical Andes.

We explore the effect of roads in animal mortality within the Biodiversity Hotspot with the highest number of endemic species of vertebrates on Earth, the Tropical Andes. Our objectives were to know which species are killed on roads in this particularly biodiversity-rich area and how landscape composition and configuration influences roadkills. We systematically looked for roadkills along roads that border three protected areas in the Ecuadorian Andes. To evaluate our hypotheses, we used correlation, logistic regression, and GIS analyses. We surveyed a total of 7128 km and observed a roadkill rate of 6.24 (95% CI = 5.35-7.14) individuals per 100 km/day. Roadkills included poorly known endemic and endangered vertebrates; among them, one undescribed snake species of the genus Atractus. Most roadkills were by pastures, the dominant vegetation by roads in our study area. Roadkills were more likely to occur near bridges and were more frequent at greater distances from natural vegetation , towns, and rivers. We conclude that pastures and bridges may be functioning as ecological traps for small and poorly known vertebrates. Mitigation measures could include increasing road permeability to wildlife by constructing culverts in critical points where mortality is high, and the adaptation of areas beneath bridges for them to function effectively as wildlife underpasses. These measures should be complemented with fences to exclude vertebrates from roads in areas near wildlife passages and along pastures. We encourage the development of similar studies in biodiversity-rich areas to inform mitigation measures that can be adapted to local conditions. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Little is known about the breeding behavior of the Andean Condor in the wild, especially in the Northern Andes, where densities of this species are low and their nests are difficult to find. We describe an active Andean Con‐ dor nest found in March 2015 on the western slope of the eastern Colombian Andes, representing the first country nest record since 1972, and report observations on nesting behavior. We recorded behavior of the male and female attending the nest using direct observations and a camera trap during two months. Both parents attended the nest, but the female did so significantly longer than the male. We assume that the nesting attempt failed because our pho‐ tographic observation showed no evidence of the adults, the egg, or any chick at the end of the observation period. In addition, we collated available information about the nesting and incubation periods of Andean Condors in the wild along the Andes range. We found latitudinal differences in laying dates. Egg laying occurs in the second half of the year in southern latitudes of the Andean Condor's range (Chile, Argentina), and primarily in the first half of the year in northern latitudes (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru). RESUMEN • Nidificación del Cóndor Andino (Vultur gryphus) en el norte de la cordillera oriental de Colombia y difer‐ encias en las temporadas de incubación en los Andes El comportamiento reproductivo del Cóndor Andino es poco conocido, especialmente en el norte de los Andes, en donde las poblaciones de la especie se encuentran reducidas en número y sus nidos son difíciles de encontrar. En éste artículo presentamos el hallazgo de un nido activo de Cóndor Andino en el páramo del Almorzadero, en la Cordillera Oriental colombiana en marzo de 2015. Este sería el primer registro de un nido de cóndores silvestres para Colombia desde 1972. Se presentan adicionalmente descripciones del comportamiento de los adultos en cuanto al cuidado del nido y atención del huevo realizadas mediante observaciones con binoculares y fotografías capturadas con una cám‐ ara trampa durante un periodo de dos meses. Mediante los dos métodos de registro (observación directa y fotografías de la cámara trampa), se encontró que, aunque los dos padres atendieron el nido y el huevo, la hembra lo hizo durante un tiempo significativamente mayor. Se consideró que el evento de reproducción fue fallido dado que no se obtuvieron registros de los adultos, el huevo o el polluelo al final de la temporada de observación. Debido a que las variaciones climáticas generadas por la latitud afectan la fisiología y biología reproductiva de las aves, se realizó una revisión de los artículos disponibles sobre las temporadas de anidación de la especie a lo largo de la Cordillera de los Andes. La información disponible sugiere que la latitud puede tener un efecto sobre las temporadas de incubación del Cóndor Andino, ocurriendo en el sur de los Andes (Chile, Argentina) en el segundo semestre del año y para la región norte (Colombia, Ecuador, Perú) durante el primer semestre. KEY WORDS Andean Condor • Breeding • Latitude • Nest • Northern Andes