The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T39592A2929657
Abies religiosa, Sacred Fir
Assessment by: Farjon, A.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Farjon, A. 2013. Abies religiosa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013:
e.T39592A2929657. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Pinopsida
Pinales
Pinaceae
Taxon Name: Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham.
Synonym(s):
• Abies colimensis Rushforth & Narave
• Abies religiosa variety colimensis (Rushforth & Narave) Silba
• Abies religiosa variety perotensis Silba
• Pinus religiosa Kunth
Common Name(s):
• English:
• Spanish:
Sacred Fir, Oyamel Fir
Oyamel
Taxonomic Source(s):
Farjon, A. 2010. A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.
Taxonomic Notes:
Was in the database as Abies colimensis Rushforth & Narave. A. colimensis is a cone colour form of A.
religiosa (A. Farjon in litt. 2000).
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:
2013
Date Assessed:
May 6, 2011
Justification:
This is the most widespread and abundant species of Abies in Mexico; its extent of occurrence and
probably its area of occupancy are beyond the thresholds for a threatened category. There is likely to
have been some impact from logging but this has not resulted in sufficient reduction to fall within the
threatened thresholds. On the available information it is assessed as Least Concern.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
1998 – Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
Recorded from the highlands of central and southern Mexico and western Guatemala.
Country Occurrence:
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Abies religiosa – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
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Native: Guatemala; Mexico (Chiapas, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México Distrito Federal,
México State, Michoacán, Morelos, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa,
Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Veracruz)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Abies religiosa – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
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Population
May form large stands. Overall, the population is thought to be decreasing.
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
Abies religiosa is a high mountain species, occurring between 1,200 m and 4,100 m a.s.l., but more
commonly between 2100 m and 3,100 m, usually on well drained mountain soils of volcanic origin. The
climate is cool, moist oceanic on ranges near the coast, colder with more snow in the interior, with
abundant precipitation. There are pure stands of this fir at the higher elevations, but it is often mixed
with Pinus montezumae, P. hartwegii, in the north of its range also with Pseudotsuga menziesii var.
glauca; at lower elevations Quercus spp., Alnus acuminata, Prunus serotina, and Arbutus spp. become
more abundant. Shrubs are e.g. Vaccinium spp., Andromeda spp., Ribes spp., and Fuchsia spp. This
species has a very special ecological significance since it serves as the hibernation tree (in a very limited
part of its range in south-central Mexico) for many millions of Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus)
yearly making one of the most spectacular displays in all of nature.
Systems: Terrestrial
Use and Trade (see Appendix for additional information)
In Guatemala and Mexico the timber of this species is used for light indoor construction and general
carpentry. Wholesale logging is unlikely to occur because this tree has traditional religious significance
to Native Americans. With the conversion to (Roman Catholic) Christianity and hispanization of the
populations of this part of Latin America these traditions were incorporated into the new modes of
worship and at times of religious festivals churches are being decorated with the foliage of this fir.
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
Logging almost certainly has had a negative impact on this species in some areas, as has general
deforestation that has occurred especially in Guatemala and southern Mexico. It is difficult to quantify
this, but a conservative estimate would be a past reduction of 10% over three generations, or about a
century. This species is present in some protected areas, but most of the population is outside such
forest reserves.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
This species is present in some protected areas, among which are national parks. Particular attention
has been paid to some forests where Monarch Butterflies overwinter: these have been designated as
the Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca. Illegal logging is a problem even within these areas.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Farjon, A.
Reviewer(s):
Thomas, P., Perez de la Rosa, J. & Rushforth, K.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Abies religiosa – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
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Bibliography
Brower, L., Castilleja, G., Peralta, A., Lopez-Garcia, J., Bojorquez-Tapia, L., Diaz, S., Melgarejo, D. and
Missrie, M. 2002. Quantitative changes in forest quality in a principal overwintering area of the Monarch
Butterfly in Mexico, 1971–1999. Conservation Biology 16: 346-359.
Farjon, A. 2010. Conifer Database (June 2008) In Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2010 Annual
Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin
T., Baillargeon G., eds). Reading, UK. Available at: http://www.catalogueoflife.org/.
Farjon, A. 2010. A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.
IUCN. 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2013.1). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 12 June 2013).
Oberhauser, K., Batalden, R. and Howard, R. 2009. Monarch Butterfly Monitoring in North America:
Overview of Initiatives and Protocols. Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Montreal, Canada.
Citation
Farjon, A. 2013. Abies religiosa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T39592A2929657.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Abies religiosa – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
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Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
1. Forest -> 1.4. Forest - Temperate
-
Suitable
Yes
Use and Trade
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
End Use
Local
National
International
Construction or structural materials
Yes
Yes
No
Handicrafts, jewellery, etc.
Yes
No
No
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual &
perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.2. Small-holder
farming
Ongoing
Minority (50%)
Slow, significant
declines
Low impact: 5
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
Ongoing
Minority (50%)
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood
harvesting -> 5.3.1. Intentional use:
(subsistence/small scale)
Slow, significant
declines
Low impact: 5
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
Occur in at least one PA: Yes
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions Needed
1. Land/water protection -> 1.1. Site/area protection
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Abies religiosa – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
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Conservation Actions Needed
1. Land/water protection -> 1.2. Resource & habitat protection
3. Species management -> 3.1. Species management -> 3.1.1. Harvest management
Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Research Needed
3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends
3. Monitoring -> 3.2. Harvest level trends
3. Monitoring -> 3.4. Habitat trends
Additional Data Fields
Distribution
Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) (km²): 500000
Lower elevation limit (m): 1200
Upper elevation limit (m): 4100
Population
Continuing decline of mature individuals: Yes
Population severely fragmented: No
Habitats and Ecology
Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat: Yes
Generation Length (years): 40
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Abies religiosa – published in 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en
6
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™