After a week of discussions in Campo Grande, Brazil, countries have agreed to provide enhanced protection for 40 migratory animal species as they move across borders and ecosystems.
Amy Fraenkel, the executive secretary for the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), stated that the expanded safeguards for cheetahs, snowy owls, giant otters, great hammerhead sharks, and others showcase nations’ ability to take action based on clear scientific evidence.
This marks the 15th gathering of countries party to the UN treaty signed in 1979, with Canada being the only nation yet to ratify the agreement. These iconic species have now been included in the treaty’s appendices, which offer a range of protections from stringent measures to fostering cooperation to prevent species extinction and endangerment.
The newly protected species are global travelers, not confined to a single region. For instance, the snowy owl breeds in the Canadian archipelago but wanders the Arctic, with reports of their visits declining in certain countries possibly due to climate change impacting their main prey, lemmings.
With their addition to Appendix II, countries are encouraged to collaborate on joint action plans to safeguard the snowy owl. Norway, the initiator of the proposal, highlighted that this inclusion will support ongoing conservation efforts and improve species monitoring.
Additionally, two varieties of hammerhead sharks are among the species listed, known for their unique shape and social nature. These creatures undertake migrations for reproduction and are at risk of getting ensnared in industrial fishing nets either as bycatch or intentionally for the shark fin trade.
According to Pelayo Salinas de León, a marine ecologist with the Charles Darwin Foundation, some hammerhead shark species are critically endangered, emphasizing the significance of their inclusion in Appendix I of the CMS convention to aid in population recovery.
The total count of species across both CMS appendices now exceeds 1,200. Despite criticism for relying on voluntary and non-binding measures and facing funding challenges, the CMS, under the Bonn Convention, brings together over 130 ratified countries.
While major farming and fishing players like the United States, China, and Japan are not part of the convention, the recent meeting in Campo Grande has spurred progress among South American nations. Several species, such as giant otters, a type of catfish, and a neotropical bird, have been added to the list, all of which migrate across the continent during different life stages.
Mariana Napolitano, the conservation director of World Wildlife Fund Brazil, noted that hosting the COP15 in Brazil has advanced concrete proposals and bolstered regional cooperation, emphasizing the need to translate ambitions into tangible actions.
The meeting, in conjunction with other agreements like CITES, serves to raise awareness about the importance of aiding these remarkable creatures that traverse the globe. The next gathering is scheduled for 2029 in Bonn, Germany, marking 50 years since the treaty’s inception.
