Although an initial list of 705 species, including the shihuahuaco tree, valued in the hardwood timber trade, was published, the list has not yet been made official.Last year, a second workshop was carried out in which the shihuahuaco was classified as critically endangered, with a warning that it could be wiped out in at least two regions of Peru by 2025.Peru’s failure to update its own threatened-species list has also meant it can’t nominate the shihuahuaco for inclusion in the global list administered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The first thing a tree like the shihuahuaco inspires is respect. It takes it at least 1,000 years to reach its full-grown height of 40 meters (130 feet) and diameter of 1.5 meters about 5 feet). During that millennium, it’s had to compete for nutrients with other trees and plants — survive the impact of humans. This slow growth, characteristic of the hardest woods in the forest, allows each tree to sequester up to 40 tons of carbon dioxide. On average, one hectare of forest conserves 130 tons of carbon, or about 16 tons per acre. That gives the shihuahuacho (Dipteryx micrantha) an important role to play in climate stability. The trees are also home to the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and the crested eagle (Morphnus guianensis), two species considered near threatened in Peru. The birds use the nooks of the shihuahuaco branches to build nests that can be used more than once. For decades, the hardness of the shihuahuaco has also made it attractive to flooring manufacturers and both the legal and illegal timber industries. These trees take a thousand years to reach full maturity, but can be cut down and whittled into floorboards in a matter of days.