ISLAMABAD: A United Nations report on migratory species of wild animals launched on Monday reveals that nearly half (44 per cent) of population of migratory animal species is showing decline while nearly all the fish listed in the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals are threatened with extinction.

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Spe­cies of Wild Animals, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species throughout their ranges.

The agreement was signed under the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and is concerned with conservation of wildlife and habitats.

The report, the first of its kind titled State of the World’s Migratory Species and launched by CMS, a UN biodiversity treaty, reveals more than one-in-five (22 per cent) of CMS-listed species are threatened with extinction.

Over-exploitation and habitat loss due to human activity termed two greatest threats to all migratory species

The extinction risk is growing for migratory animal species globally.

Most (51pc) key biodiversity areas identified as important for CMS-listed migratory animals do not have protected status, and 58pc of the monitored sites recognised as being important for CMS-listed species are experiencing unsustainable levels of human-caused pressure.

The main focus of the report is on 1,189 animal species that have been recognised by CMS Parties as needing international protection and are listed under CMS, though it also features analysis linked to over 3,000 additional non-CMS migratory species.

Animal species listed under the convention are those at risk of extinction across all or much of their range, or in need of coordinated international action to boost their conservation status.

The report also investigated how many migratory animal species are at-risk but not covered by the convention.

It found that 399 migratory species — mainly birds and fish, including many albatrosses and perching birds, ground sharks and stingrays — are categorised as threatened or near-threatened yet not CMS-listed.

According to the report, the two greatest threats to both CMS-listed and all migratory species are over-exploitation and habitat loss due to human activity.

Three out of four CMS-listed species are impacted by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, and seven out of 10 CMS-listed species are impacted by over-exploitation, including intentional taking as well as incidental capture.

Climate change, pollution and invasive species are also having profound impacts on migratory species. Until now, no such comprehensive assessment on migratory species has been carried out.

UNEP executive director Inger Andersen said: “Today’s report clearly shows us that unsustainable human activities are jeopardising the future of migratory species.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2024