Editing Andean flamingo (section)

==Status and conservation==
The Andean flamingo is considered a [[vulnerable species]] due to the mining business and human disturbances causing changes in its habitat.<ref>Norambuena, M. C. and M. Parada (2005). "Serum biochemistry in Andean Flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus): Natural versus artificial diet." Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 36(3): 434-439.</ref>

===Mining===
The Andean flamingo's habitat is constantly changing due to human activity. The primary threat to the flamingo population is mining [[excavations]], which occur at the end of the summer rainy season.<ref name=ugarte2000>Ugarte-Nunez, J and Mosaurieta, L. 2000. "Assessment of threats to flamingos at the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Nature Reserve (Arequipa, Peru)" Waterbirds 23(Special Issue 1):134-140.</ref>
The habitat of the Andean flamingo is rich in [[boron]] compounds, specifically borax.<ref name=ugarte2000/> [[Borax]] is fairly toxic at high dosages to animals such as the Andean flamingo, but not to humans.<ref name=mehmet2007>Korkmazm Mehmet. 2007. "Estimation of Human Daily Boron Exposure in a Boron-Rich Environment." British Journal of Nutrition. 98(3):571-575.</ref> Studies testing the effects of borax exposure in animals show that excess boron causes skeletal [[malformations]], [[cardiovascular]] defects, and [[Degeneration (medicine)|degeneration]] of [[testis|testes]].<ref name=mehmet2007/> Borax is a derivative of boric acid; a study comparing the [[toxicology]] of borates determined that salts of boric acid produce comparable effects.<ref name=mehmet2007/> A study on the mining environment determined as little as 5&nbsp;g of borax can produce adverse effects in animal populations, but human workers remain unaffected at these levels.<ref name=mehmet2007/> Therefore, the miners remain unaffected while the animals suffer from developmental and reproductive [[toxicity]].

A study on [[Salinas Lake]] in Peru showed that mining companies have established themselves adjacent to the flamingos' nesting sites, and some mining is performed near flamingo breeding grounds and feeding sites.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Flamingos abandoned their nesting sites if mining was initiated after the establishment of nesting colonies and in close proximity. An increase of [[hydrocarbon]] exploration resulted in a decreased success rate for breeding. Less than 1% of the flamingos observed were juveniles.<ref name=caziani2007/> The decreased reproductive success may be due to borax exposure or to an altered environment caused by bulldozers disturbing the lake bed.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Mining creates a muddy environment, which entraps flamingos, thus increasing mortality.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Surveys conducted on residents near the mining activities report sightings of dead flamingos exhumed by the bulldozers.<ref name=ugarte2000/>

The extraction process also affects the water availability.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Andean flamingos filter surface water for food, but borax mining pollutes this water.<ref name=hurlbert1982/> Along with the pollution, the extractions expedite the removal of lake moisture.<ref name=ugarte2000/> By limiting the amount of water in the lake, mining companies can increase visibility, thus contributing to more optimal mining.<ref name=ugarte2000/> A study comparing the correlation between water availability and flamingo population determined that the number of flamingos was strongly correlated to the proportion of water in the lake.<ref name=hurlbert1982/> With an insufficient food supply and a disturbed habitat, the decrease in offspring seems inevitable.

In Argentina, the rarest species of flamingo is primarily found in northern provinces (Salta, Catamarca, and Jujuy) during warmer months, as well as in low-lying areas of the central region, mainly Córdoba and Santa Fe. The National Mining Secretariat reports 38 lithium projects across the country, with 17 situated in the vast salt flats of Salta province.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Jemio |first=Diego |date=2024-01-27 |title=El avance de la minería de litio amenaza al flamenco andino en Argentina |url=https://elpais.com/america-futura/2024-01-27/el-avance-de-la-mineria-de-litio-amenaza-al-flamenco-andino-en-argentina.html |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=El País América |language=es}}</ref>

Biologists and conservationists have raised concerns about the negative impacts of lithium brine extraction on areas where these birds reproduce and feed. This species, part of the flamingo family alongside the Andean and James's flamingos, has been classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.<ref name=":0" />

===Human disturbance===
Not only are the flamingos' offspring numbers diminished by mining activities, but they are also affected by the [[egg (biology)|egg]] collection by locals. This illegal hunting has increased over time due to an increase in international demand for flamingo eggs.<ref name=bucher1992/> Poaching is conducted by organized groups within Chile; the group members trap the flamingos and export them to Europe, the United States, and other overseas destinations.<ref name=bucher1992/> The exportation process is conducted mainly in the [[Altiplano]], which is an area that has deep cultural roots in egg poaching.<ref name=bucher1992/> During the reproductive season, local families also take eggs from flamingo nests.<ref name=ugarte2000/> The removal of eggs can disturb the nesting process and cause the flamingo to abandon its nest, even if some eggs remain.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Egg removal might be acceptable if the local populations were malnourished, but studies on the diets of the local people show no protein deficiency.<ref name=ugarte2000/> In the area of study, the common people raise llamas and alpacas, which offer a higher content of protein than flamingo eggs.<ref name=ugarte2000/>

Alongside mining activities, unregulated tourism has taken its toll on the flamingos' habitat. Over time, numerous [[peat]] [[bogs]] have developed throughout the land.<ref name=ugarte2000/> These bogs gradually build up and begin to overflow into the lake.<ref name=ugarte2000/> When the bogs enter the lake, they decrease the surface area of the water and prevent the flamingos from entering the lake to feed.<ref name=ugarte2000/>
As a result of the mining and the tourism, new [[infrastructure]], such as highways, are being built into the [[Andes]].<ref name=ugarte2000/> Highways now run alongside the flamingos' habitat.<ref name=ugarte2000/> With the addition of these roads, accessibility to the flamingos' habitat increases, leading to more commercial mining and tourism, which in turn results in detrimental effects to the Andean flamingo population.<ref name=ugarte2000/> The development of new infrastructure has caused severe fragmentation of the lake, diminishing the biodiversity, and increasing the possibility of extinction for all species.<ref name=ugarte2000/>

The demand for surface and underground water, energy production, and transportation, as well as unregulated tourism, have all increased in the last two decades. These increases were documented to be most significant in Chile, the main location for Andean flamingo breeding colonies.<ref name=caziani2007/> As a consequence, these areas are concentrated with toxic compounds due to mineral and [[hydrocarbon]] exploration.<ref name=caziani2007/> Since the 1980s, the number of successful breeding colonies and the total production of chicks of Andean flamingos declined.<ref name=caziani2007/> As a result, the Andean flamingo is a threatened species.

===Conservation plans===
According to the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources]], the Andean flamingo is an "insufficiently known species".<ref name=ugarte2000/> Thus, despite being negatively affected for at least the previous two decades, it was finally declared endangered in September 2010.<ref name=ugarte2000/> In this announcement, it was stated that this flamingo would be protected under the [[Endangered Species Act|Endangered Species Act of 1973]].<ref name=ugarte2000/> Most of the areas in which the flamingos reside, both in the summer and the winter, have been covered by the implementation of national parks. However, these parks are absent in habitats incurring changes. Thus, the main breeding grounds are still susceptible to outside disturbances that decrease the population of the flamingos.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Because the Andean flamingo is a recent addition to the endangered species list,  few plans have been implemented to protect their species. However, the National Institution of Natural Resources (http://www.nri.org/) is currently developing a plan. This group is working with conservationists to find a way to solve the problems of borate extraction and egg collecting and poaching.<ref name=ugarte2000/> The plan consists of an environmental education strategy to inform businessmen, workers, villagers, and any other people who pose as a threat to the flamingos.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Local authorities in the Salinas Lake district have created an outpost to prevent illicit actions and to find possible solutions to present problems.<ref name=ugarte2000/> Creation of national parks has decreased the egg collecting; however, environmental education will be necessary to eliminate this activity.<ref name=ugarte2000/>

The Flamingo Specialist Group, established in 1971, is actively trying to inform the public on the vulnerability of flamingos.<ref name=hurlbert1982/> They produce an annual newsletter to tell readers the current status of several species.<ref name=hurlbert1982/> In 2000, this group conducted a census that revealed a total population less than 34,000 Andean flamingos, giving them the label of most rare species.<ref name=hurlbert1982/>  Recently, this group has joined sides with the International Union for Conservation of Nature to create an action plan for the flamingos.<ref name=hurlbert1982/> A meeting was held in Miami, Florida, in 2000 to develop a group to control an action place to protect the six species and subspecies of flamingos.<ref name=hurlbert1982/>

Under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the [[Bonn Convention]], [[High Andean Flamingos Memorandum of Understanding|the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation of High Andean Flamingos and their Habitats]] was concluded and came into effect on 4 December 2008. The MoU covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. As of August 2012, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru have signed the MoU. The MoU aims to improve the conservation status of the species and their habitats through coordinated and concerted actions across the range.