Unsettling data on the global status of migratory species were disclosed in the United Nations’ inaugural State of the World’s Migratory Species report released on 12 February. One in five migratory species are currently in danger of going extinct, according to the survey. The fact that the populations of 44% of these species are declining adds to the concern. The results highlight the pressing need for coordinated international efforts to address the problems migratory animals face.
State of Migratory Species
The report has also raised serious concerns about the conservation status of migratory fish and birds and focuses on species listed by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). A startling 82% of the species included in the CMS’s Appendix I, which lists endangered species, are in danger of going extinct. Furthermore, population trends for 76% of these species are dropping, which highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts.
18% of species are currently globally threatened, even among those included in Appendix II of the CMS, which lists species that may become threatened if conservation measures are not done. Fish on the CMS list are very vulnerable; a startling 97% of these species are in danger of going extinct.
Identifying Species in Need of Protection
The report also lists a larger group of the nomadic species that require protection but are not yet included in the CMS appendix. Attention to conservation is needed for 399 migratory species, mostly fish and birds, that are threatened or near threatened worldwide.
The decline in the condition of these animals is ascribed to strong human influences. Migratory species are seriously threatened by elements including habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, which are mostly caused by agricultural operations. And to make matters worse, overexploitation of many species occurs through inadvertent and targeted shooting and fishing.
Importantly, because of their mobility and dependence on several habitats, these species are especially vulnerable. They are vulnerable to a wide range of hazards brought about by human activity, because connectivity amongst many places is essential to their survival.
Escalating Extinction Risk
The research highlights how these species around the world are increasingly in risk of going extinct. The number of CMS-listed species whose conservation status declined between 1988 and 2020 was 70, greatly exceeding the number of species whose status improved, which was 14. This pattern emphasises how urgently comprehensive conservation measures are needed to lessen the hazards that migratory species face.
To sum up, the State of the World’s Migratory Species report presents a clear picture of the difficulties that these species face on a global scale. To protect these species’ vital role in ecosystems around the world and to address anthropogenic pressures including habitat loss, overexploitation, and others, immediate action is needed.
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