With deforestation having claimed much suitable habitat already, the giant antpitta is classified as vulnerable species by the IUCN. Between 2000 and 2004, it had been uplisted to endangered status, as it was feared that habitat destruction was accelerating in the few areas where the birds were known to exist. This turned out less bad than assumed, and the species was downlisted again in 2004. Still, it considered threatened and is known in less than 10 locations (a total of 1,900 square kilometers), with habitat continuing to decline in quality and quantity and some subpopulations on the brink of complete extinction. Also, it is estimated to number less than 2,500 mature birds, with less than 1,000 in any one subpopulation.