Protected under UN treaty, half of world’s migratory wildlife on decline: Report, Pg2

Key Highlights:

• A UN report indicates that 49% of migratory species protected under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) are declining.
• 24% of migratory species face extinction, a 2% increase in two years.
• Out of 1,189 species listed under CMS, 582 face population decline.
• Bird flu is recognized as a threat to many bird species.
• Shark and ray populations in the northern Indian Ocean are at extinction risk.

Detailed Insights:

• The report is an update to the State of World’s Migratory Species report, initially released in 2024.
• Between 2002 and 2021, bird and fish population mobility declined significantly, exemplified by the Mongolian Gazelle.
• The report uses data from the IUCN Red List to track conservation status changes.
• 26 species under the treaty have moved to a higher extinction risk category, including 18 migratory shorebirds.
• Long-term declines in migratory shorebird populations have been observed in coastal sites in India.
• Vulture populations are slowly improving in South Asia, indicating successful conservation efforts.
• Some species, like the Saiga Antelope, Scimitar-Horned Oryx, and Mediterranean Monk Seal, have shown improved status.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Migratory Species: Animals that move from one habitat to another during different times of the year.
• IUCN Red List: A comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
• Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS): A UN treaty focused on the conservation of migratory species and their habitats.

Bonn Convention