Migrating animals face collapsing numbers – major new UN report
The first ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report, released today by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, showed that the conservation status of many migratory species is getting worse.
- The first ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report, released today by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, showed that the conservation status of many migratory species is getting worse.
- The convention maintains a list of migratory species that are already in need of protection.
- More than one in five (or 22%) of the already threatened migratory species now face extinction.
Which species are listed?
- There are 4,508 species in the world that are migratory, and the convention lists 1,189.
- What must be done
My research has pointed out that migratory species undertake remarkable journeys that connect diverse habitats across the globe.
- The report found that the threatened migratory species occurring in Africa, Asia and North America are experiencing the fastest declines.
- Of the migratory species that the convention lists as needing some level of protection, 97% are under threat of extinction.
Migratory animals’ habitats are being destroyed
- In Africa, 79% of new cropland over the past few decades has been established by destroying the natural vegetation where many migratory animals lived, the report says.
- The report also points out that pollution and introducing alien invasive species into habitats of natural vegetation put pressure on these indigenous species.
Why migratory species are important
- Migratory species consume tons of food daily.
- For example, deep-sea creatures, particularly tiny zooplankton, migrate from deep waters to the surface at night to feed on phytoplankton.
- Tiny marine animals are key to working out its climate impacts
Protecting migratory species goes beyond conserving biodiversity; it is crucial for ensuring a healthier future for our planet.
What to do about it
- This includes expanding protected areas used by migratory species, taking down fences and making more effort to connect protected areas to each other.
- Stronger laws, enhanced international collaboration to curb illegal activities, and reducing bycatch in fisheries are urgently required, says the report.
- This report marks a significant step towards creating a conservation roadmap for migratory species.
- He is a senior Statistician at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
- He is also affilicated with the One Mara Research Hub (OMRH) and the Greater Serengeti-Mara Conservation Society; both devoted to securing the future of the magnificient Greater-Serengeti Mara Ecosystem.