CONVENTION ON

MIGRATORY SPECIES

Cover:Addax © Olivier Born, Andean Flamingo © Omar Rocha, Striped Dolphins © Julia Neider / WDCS, Harbour Porpoise © F. Graner / GSM, Dama Gazelle © Olivier Born, Schreibers’ Bat © François Schwaab, Elephants © Betty Bruce -UNEP / Still Pictures, Aquatic Warbler © Alexander Kozulin,Monk Seal © M.A. Cedenilla / CBD Habitat,Green Turtle © Alejandro Fallabrino, Snow Leopard © NABU, Dugong © A. Trutnau / Still Pictures, Mountain Gorilla © Patrick Van Klaveren

Topline:Elephants © UNEP / Still Pictures, Humpback Whale © Bill Rossiter / WDCS, Bird observation © Camillo Panziani-Mauretania-WOW Project Coordination Unit, Sporophila zelichi © Adrian Azpiroz, Green Turtle © Alejandro Fallabrino, Addax © Olivier Born, Andean Flamingo © Omar Rocha, Mountain Gorilla © Patrick Van Klaveren

Produced by:UNEP / CMS 2008

Co-ordinator:Muriel M. Mannert-Maschke

Special Thanks:Veronika Lenarz, Francisco Rilla, Robert Vagg

Design & Printers:Druckerei Berghoff, Bonn

The Bonn Convention

« ...Wild animals in their innumerable forms are an irreplaceablepart of the earth’s natural system, which must be conserved for thegood of mankind… »

« ...Each generation of man holds the resources of the earth for fu-ture generations and has an obligation to ensure that this legacy isconserved and, where utilized, is used wisely… »

– from the preamble of the Convention

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Why conserve migratory animals?

Of the world’s 1.75 million or more described animal species, atleast 8,000-10,000 migrate. They use different habitats for dif-ferent phases of their life cycles, living in one environment forpart of the year and reproducing in another, or concentrating inone area and dispersing over another. These animals have evol-ved to make use of different environments and resources thatare available only on a temporary basis.

As they depend on different habitats, which they use as steppingstones during their migration, they are more vulnerable than se-dentary animals.

They range from antelopes to fish, from whales to elephants,from bats to birds. Even apparently frail insects, such as theMonarch butterfly, cover enormous distances.

Migratory animals areessential componentsof the ecosystems thatsupport all life onEarth. By acting aspollinators and seeddistributors they con-tribute to ecosystemstructure and func-tion. They providefood for other animals and regulate the number of species inecosystems. Migratory animals are potentially very effective in-dicators of environmental changes that affect us all.

In local and global economies, too, migratory animals play animportant role: through subsistence, recreational and commer-cial hunting, and fishing activities providing food and income.More recently they have become prime attractions for ecotour-ists such as bird spotters or whale watchers.

In addition, migratory species have a great significance in manycultures – in legends, stories, religions, medicine and customs.They even play a major role in the way we measure time and ex-perience seasons. Nowadays humans also benefit from them forrecreational activities and educational purposes.

Khulans © Richard Reading

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A heavy toll

Human pressure is often intense on migratory animals and onthe habitats they need to survive. Unsustainable hunting andfishing practices and incidental capture in fisheries take a heavytoll on thousands of species. Destruction of wetlands, forestsand grasslands removes food and shelter vital to life. Barriers tomigration such as roads, fences,dams, power lines and wind farmscan disrupt migratory patterns andresult in a significant number of deaths. Birds face the danger of elec-trocution, injuries or death causedby power transmission lines ortowers. Armed conflicts pose athreat to humans and animals alike.

The introduction of alien species and the harmful effects ofindustrial and agricultural pollutants are further risks. The po-tentially huge impact of climate change is just beginning to beunderstood, but it is predicted that migration patterns andreproduction will be disrupted. As a result, many migratory ani-mals are becoming increasingly rare. A great many are threat-ened with extinction.

A need for international concerted action

While migrating, many stecies cross national borders, artificialconstructs which are, of course, not recognised by animals.Borders not only divide countries, they also separate nationallegislation, interests and political priorities. Migratory animals

are particularly vulnerable in interna-tional waters. There, the lack of nation-al jurisdiction makes it even morenecessary for countries to assumetheir shared responsibility to conservethis common natural heritage.

White Stork © Manfred Loeffler

Ferruginous Duck © Tim Loseby

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A global platform for co-operation

As an environmental treaty under the aegis of the United NationsEnvironmental Programme, the Convention on the Conservationof Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) provides a globalplatform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratoryanimals and their habitats. The Convention brings together thestates through which migratory animals pass, and lays the legalfoundation for conservation measures throughout the species’migratory range. Measures are embedded in detailed conser-vation and management plans. The common goal is achieved bytwo means: concerted actions for endangered species andco-operative agreements for migratory species that have anunfavourable conservation status.

Tailored global and regional solutionsfor endangered animals

Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Ap-pendix I of the Convention. States strive towards strictly protect-ing these animals, conserving or restoring their habitats,mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factorsthat might endanger them. Besides establishing obligations foreach state joining the Convention, CMS promotes concerted act-ion among the range states of many of these species. Migratoryspecies that need or would significantly benefit from internation-al co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention. Forthis reason, the Convention encourages the range states to con-clude global or regional agreements.

CMS: a framework convention

CMS acts as a framework convention, providing for separate, in-ternational legally binding instruments and other agreementsamong range states of single migratory species or, more often,groups of species. Countries do not have to be a party to the parent convention to be able to join one of its associate agree-ments. These agreements can be adapted to the requirements ofparticular regions with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness ofthe Convention’s efforts.

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The agreements may range from legally binding treaties to lessformal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding. Thedevelopment of models specially designed according to conser-vation needs throughoutthe migratory range is aunique feature of CMS. Allagreements are based onspecific management andconservation plans. Bet-ween 1990 and early 2008,nearly twenty internationalagreements were concludedunder the CMS umbrella,for bats, birds, elephants,dolphins and whales, ma-rine turtles and seals.

Promoting practical research and conservation

CMS promotes co-operative re-search and conservation projects onmigratory animals worldwide. Thespectrum of activities is wide, rang-ing from population counts to theevaluation of the quality of habitatsand threats, as well as the use ofsatellite telemetry to identify migra-tion routes. Other projects focus on

studies of breeding ha-bits, fencing of nestingareas, site identificationand mapping, or the gen-etic analysis of tissuesamples.

Bird observation © Camillo Panziani- Hungary-WOW Project Coordination Unit

Hawksbill Turtle with satellite transmitter © www.cccturtles.org

Harbour Porpoise © WDCS

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On the move to 2010

A paramount task is to contribute to the achievement of the Uni-ted Nations’ targets of significantly reducing biodiversity loss by 2010. The 8th Conference of the Parties (COP) to CMS in November 2005 embra-ced the theme “on themove to 2010” instruct-ing CMS and its regionalagreements to co-operatein adopting indicators tomeasure the 2010 target.Conserving migratory animals and their habi-tats helps to preserve entire ecosystems, thussupporting life on Earth.

Contributing to sustainable development

CMS supports eco-nomic activitiesinvolving the sus-tainable use ofmigratory species.Ecotourism suchas sustainablewhale watchinggenerates consider-able income. CMSis committed tothe promotion ofsustainable deve-

lopment through implementation of the goals set atthe “World Summit on Sustainable Development” inJohannesburg, 2002. It supports conservation programmesthat bring long-term benefits to local communities.

Bird observation © Camillo Panziani -Mauretania-WOW Project Coordination Unit

Tuareg © John Newby/SSIG

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Working in partnership

As the only global convention specialising in the conservation ofmigratory species, their habitats and migration routes, CMScomplements and co-operates with a number of other treatiesand international bodies, particularly the Convention on Bio-logical Diversity, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Con-vention on International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFauna and Flora, and the World Heritage Convention. It benefitsfrom the support of several non-governmental organisations.

How the Convention works

CMS institutions are the

� Conference of the Parties (COP), the decision-making bodywhich meets at three-yearly intervals to review implement-ation of the Convention and to decide on priorities for futurework;

� Standing Committee, with regional representation which pro-vides policy and administrative guidance between theregular meetings of the COP;

� Scientific Council, consisting of one expert appointed by eachParty as well as specialists appointed by the COP, which pro-vides advice on scientific issues and priorities for researchand conservation;

� Secretariat, which deve-lops and promotesagreements, servicesmeetings, supports andsupervises research andconservation projectsand co-operates with go-vernments and organisa-tions. The secretariat isprovided by the UnitedNations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP). Conference of the Parties © CMS

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Agreement guidelines

Each agreement should cover the whole of the range of the mi-gratory species concerned and describe the range and migrationroute. Species agreements provide for co-ordinated conserva-tion and management plans. They promote conservation andrestoration of the habitats important for maintaining the speciesat a favourable conservation status.

Memorandum of Understanding: An explanation

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is not legally binding,but is rather an expression of political commitment. Under anMoU, immediate short-term measures are co-ordinated acrossa range of a species or group of species.

Action Plan: Basic characteristics

CMS Action Plans describe specific conservation actions for habitats and species. They identify both threats and key sites(breeding, feeding, wintering areas). Assuring appropriatemanagement, enforcing hunting regulations and undertakingstudies into genetics, population dynamics and behaviouralecology are further features of these plans. There are differentAction Plans from range-wide to country specific actions.

Concerted Action: A success story

The Convention has identified species deserving special atten-tion. Parties, that are range states for such animals are requiredto conserve and restore important habitats, to prevent, reduce,remove or compensate for obstacles to migration and not to takeanimals from the wild.

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Small Grants Programme:the project side of CMS

The Small Grants Programme (SGP) plays a significant role inpromoting CMS initiatives and has been the Convention’s maintool in supporting Concerted Actions. The SGP has provedsuccessful at generating further funding from other donors. Itacts as a practical international conservation instrument in indi-vidual countries and regions.

Migratory birds: from the Arctic to the Antarctic

Due to their often spectacular and long-distance journeys, birdsare perhaps the best-known group of migratory animals. Manyspecies migrate from high latitudes to the tropics and beyond.One species, the Arctic Tern, an elegant white seabird, evenbreeds in the Arctic and migrates to the Antarctic!

To be able to completetheir life cycles suc-cessfully, migratorybirds not only needtheir natural breedingand wintering habitatsto be preserved; theyalso require theirtraditional stopoversites to be maintain-ed. This makes it par-ticularly challenging toconserve migratorybirds.

A safer world for birds of passage

The largest agreement developed so far under CMS focuses onwaterbirds. The African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement(AEWA) covers 235 species of bird and, among other initiativespromotes a flyway project, the “Wings over Wetlands” (WOW) –

Crested Tern © Glen Fergus / Wikipedia

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made up of eleven pilot projects in twelve selected countries. Itis the largest such project ever undertaken in the African-Eurasian region and represents a unique approach amongMultilateral Environment Agreements. The geographic area stretches from the northern reaches of Canada and the RussianFederation to the southernmost tip of Africa. AEWA contains acomprehensive Action Plan as a result of intensive negotiationsamong all countries concerned. It aims to conserve waterbirdswhile maintaining a compatible regime of human activities inthe general context of wetland conservation.

From the Arctic to the Cape of Good Hope

Migratory waterbirds and their wetland habitats are indispens-able components of biodiversity. Their ecology is fragile andhabitats and speciesare under increasingthreat worldwide.

The WOW African-Eura-sian Flyways Projectunder the auspices ofAEWA is the largestinternational wetland Crested Tern © Benjaminmint / Wikipedia

© International Wader Study Group, map drawn by Rodney West, in ”Migratory Species and Climate Change – Impacts of a Changing Environment on Wild Animals”, 2006.

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and waterbird conservation initiative ever to take place. It aimsto conserve the critical areas needed by migratory waterbirdsacross Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenlandand the Canadian Archipelago. Through its unique flyway-scaleconservation approach, WOW will enhance international con-servation efforts to improve the conditions and management ofwaterbirds and key wetland sites in Africa and Eurasia.

Conserving single bird species

In addition, some of the rarest birds inthe world are covered by CMS regionalAgreements in the form of Memoranda ofUnderstanding.

With the support of the Convention, thetiny populations of the Siberian Crane arebenefiting from captive breeding and thereleases of young birds, which are taughttheir traditional migration routes by hang-glider pilots. The Siberian Crane WetlandProject, built on the MoU, forms the nextstep of the long-term programme tosecure the species’ survival.

The Slender-billed Curlew, one of the rarest of all migrants, is thesubject of urgent efforts under CMS to discover its last winterrefuges and where it breeds in the vastness of Eurasia.

The main challenge ofconserving the spectacularGreat Bustard under a CMSMemorandum of Under-standing is to manage mo-dern agriculture throughoutthe bird’s range in CentralEurope.

Another species covered bya CMS MoU, the AquaticWarbler, is a small songbird,

Aquatic Warbler © Alexander Kozulin

Great Bustard © B. Block, Landesumweltamt Brandenburg

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which totally depends on a dwindling number of sites of a par-ticular wetland type in Europe. Fortunately, the great majority ofthe key range states has now signed up to save it using the in-struments of the Convention.

Conservation across continents

A major agreement for the conservation of waterbirds of the Cen-tral Asian flyway is envisaged under the framework provided byCMS.

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels(ACAP) tackles threats to these ocean wanderers, which rangefrom drowning on long-line hooks set by commercial fishing ves-sels, to the taking of eggs and young birds by cats and rats.

Birds of prey in the African-Eurasian region have a poorconservation status. Theyare subject to a variety ofhuman induced threats,such as habitat loss or de-gradation, hunting, illegalshooting and poisoning.Collisions with aerial struc-tures and electrocution by

Slender-billed Curlew © C H Gomersall/RSPB

Shy Albatross © Barry Baker

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power lines also contribute to population declines. An agree-ment for migratory birds of prey, increasing the profile of owlsand raptors in the region, is underway and will promote more effective conservation through the international co-ordination ofaction tackling the threats to migratory birds of prey.

Birds in the western hemisphere

In South America, a Memorandum of Understanding for the twoendemic species of Andean Flamingo, living in high-altitude lagoons subject to intense human pressure, is being negotiated.These flamingos migrate in the wetlands to forage and dependon the conservation of thesehabitats. Human activitiessuch as agriculture, miningand unregulated tourism havebeen the main reason for thedrop in population size.

Southern South American Migratory Grassland Bird Spe-cies and their habitats are thefocus of another Memoran-

Pallas’s Fish Eagle © Tim Loseby

Alectrurus risora © Adrian Azpiroz

White-naped Cranes © BirdLife

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dum of Understanding. Fragmentation of grassland and illegalcapture and trade have been the main reasons for the populat-ions’ decline. The aim of the Action Plan is the protection of thehabitats and the birds in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia andUruguay.

The Ruddy-headed Goosehas been persecuted especi-ally in its wintering groundsin the South of the Argenti-nian province of BuenosAires. This exclusively SouthAmerican Memorandum ofUnderstanding has beenconcluded between Chileand Argentina to save thispopulation from the immin-ent danger of extinction.

CMS threats and challenges:Avian Influenza and Wild Birds

In 2005 concerns about the role of migratory birds in spreadingthe highly pathogenic Avian Influenza virus H5N1 led to the esta-blishment of the Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza andWild Birds. It is composed of 14 members and observers, inclu-ding UN bodies, wildlife treaties and specialist intergovern-mental and non-governmental organisations. Its role is to adviseon the conservation im-pact of the disease andto develop an Early Warn-ing System. The mainvectors for spreadingthe virus are trade inpoultry, caged birds andhuman movements. Alonger term solution tominimise the risk of wildbirds contributing to the spread of the viruswould be the separation

Ruddy-headed Geese © Alejandro Balbiano

Veterinarians in the field © William B. Karesh, D.V.M./WCS

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of poultry farms from wetlands used by wild birds to reduce therisk of cross-contamination. To reduce contacts, natural habitatslike water bodies should not be used by both domestic and wildbirds. Maintaining healthy wild habitats will limit the num-ber of waterbirds that enter agricultural areas, while biosafetystandards in keeping and transporting farmed birds must be im-proved.

Marine mammals: a regional approach

The conservation of marine mammals listed in the CMS Appen-dices is a great challenge, in particular because these species areaffected by multiple threats, often within international waters.CMS has adopted a regional approach with promising results.Three CMS agreements are engaged in different areas of ceta-cean conservation, while further agreements exist for the con-servation of the monk seal and dugong.

Conserving whales and dolphins

The Agreement on theConservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic,North East Atlantic, Irishand North Seas (ASCO-BANS) aims to conservesmall whales, dolphinsand porpoises such as theonce-familiar HarbourPorpoise and the specta-cular Orca. The most im-portant threats facingthese species of toothed whales are incidental capture in fish-eries, collisions with ships, acoustic disturbance and marine pollution. Under the auspices of ASCOBANS, the Jastarnia Plan,the Recovery Plan for Harbour Porpoises in the Baltic Sea, is theresult of a collaborative effort of a series of scientific initiativesand meetings over several years. The main focus of this recoveryplan is the identification of human induced threats to the recovery of the species.

Harbour Porpoise © F. Graner / GSM

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The second Agreement on whales and dolphins developed underthe Convention is the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and ContiguousAtlantic Area (ACCOBAMS). Its main aim is to reduce threats tosmall and great whales, such as the Fin and the Sperm whale.Conservation Plansunder this agreementprovide, among otherthings, for the assess-ment of human-cetaceaninteractions, emergencyresponse measures, the establishment of protected areas and the reduction of negative interaction with fisheries.

Rescue for Pacific Cetaceans

Migration routes of marinemammals pass through thecoastal waters of countries aswell as the high seas. The relevant Memorandum ofUnderstanding for the Con-servation of Cetaceans andtheir Habitats in the PacificIslands Region covers all populations of whales and

dolphins in the Pacific Islands region, which havenot yet recovered to pre-whaling levels. This frame-work of CMS helps thecountries to standardisethe conservation and theeducational programmesfor local communities andcommercial fishing.

Orca © Ingrid Visser/WDCS

Striped Dolphins © Julia Neider/WDCS

Long-finned Pilot Whale © Nico Schossleitner/WDCS

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Relief for Atlantic marine mammals

A number of species of small cetaceans can be found in WestAfrican waters, including the endemic Atlantic humpback dol-phin. Small cetaceans, which include dolphins, porpoises andsmall toothed whales, are subject to various threats, such as habitat degradation, bycatch, direct catch, over-fishing and pollution. In order to studyand provide information onthe conservation status ofsmall cetaceans in WestAfrica, CMS started an in-itiative for the Conservationof Marine Mammals in Western Africa. WesternAfrican Talks on Cetaceansand their Habitats (WATCH)are a series of scientific andinter-governmental meet-ings on marine mammals. The aim is to develop an Action Planfor the conservation of West African small cetaceans and mana-tees: the Memorandum of Understanding of West African SmallCetaceans and Sirenians of the Eastern Atlantic Basin.

Tackling threats to seals

The Agreement on the Conser-vation of Seals in the WaddenSea was concluded as the firstAgreement under CMS afteran epidemic in 1988 killed60% of the region’s HarbourSeals. The Agreement has pro-ved successful: the populationhas regained its pre-epidemiclevels and, although still sub-ject to diseases, the seals areno longer threatened with extinction. The aim is to restore andmaintain viable stocks, and increase reproductive capacity, includ-ing improved survival rates among juvenile seals.

Spotted Dolphins © WATT-UNEP / Still Pictures

Monk Seal © M. A. Cedenilla, CBD Habitat

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The Mediterranean Monk Seal is one of the most threatened ma-rine mammals in the world. The Memorandum of Under-standing concerning conservation measures for the Eastern Population of the Monk Seal aims to save the last few animals(approximately 500) remaining in the wild. Recovery of the de-pleted population and reducing habitat loss are the main focus.

Dugongs: protection in waters

The dugong is a large strictlymarine, herbivorous mammal.The Memorandum of Under-standing covering the IndianOcean is designed to conservethe populations and their habi-tats from detrimental anthropo-genic influences like hunting oragricultural and industrial run-off into the waters they live in.

Marine turtles: towards a global approach

Marine turtles are among the oldest vertebrate life forms onEarth. They are threatened by by-catch, unsustainable con-sumption of both meat and eggs, degradation of the coastal envi-ronment, climate change and marine pollution. Little is knownabout their lives in the open ocean. They provide a perfect example of the need to bring together local communities,conservationists, researchersand government authorities towork in a co-ordinated way.

There are two CMS Memorandaof Understanding concerningmarine turtles: one for the Atlantic Coast of Africa andanother for the Indian Oceanand South-East Asia (IOSEA).

Dugong © Dr. Armin Trutnau/ Still Pictures

Hawksbill Turtle © www.cccturtle.org

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Fish in troubled waters

The European Sturgeon is an anadromous migrant, meaning theadults leave the sea to swim up rivers to reproduce. They are sen-sitive to any physical barriers to their migration and are severelyaffected by physical and chemical changes to watercourses. TheAction Plan developed strategies to assist the wild populationwith captive breeding and release schemes.

The Whale Shark is thelargest living fish spe-cies, growing up to 14metres long. It inhabitsthe open sea in tropicaland warmer temperatewaters and feeds onplankton. Seasonal feed-

ing aggregations of the sharks occur at several coastal sites.Though it is usually seen out at sea, it has also been found closerto shore, entering lagoons or coral atolls, and near the estuariesof rivers. CMS is leading efforts to develop a global conservationinstrument for migratory sharks. With the help of a Memoran-dum of Understanding, threats like illegal trade and fisheries by-catch could be reduced. This initiative is particularly urgentgiven that the annual take of sharks worldwide has been esti-mated to exceed 100 million individuals.

Terrestrial mammals: from A to Z

Numerous different migratory landmammals from apes to zebras regu-larly cross national borders. Severalare endangered and therefore listedon the Convention’s Appendices,such as bats, the magnificent SnowLeopard, the Bactrian Camel, Mount-ain Gorillas, African Elephants, deerspecies, and several antelope speciesin Africa and the Saiga antelope in Eu-rasia. Just as these animals vary, so dothe strategies for their conservation.

Whale Shark © Zac Wolf / Wikipedia

Snow Leopard © NABU

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Initiatives for primates

Mountain Gorillas build new nests each day at dusk and moveon at dawn to new areas of forest. Despite their relatively smallpopulation sizes compared to other migratory species coveredby CMS, the ranges of gorilla populations frequently cover several countries. Destruction or modification of their habitat bydeforestation, woodland exploitation, increasing demand for arable land and also thedevelopment of infra-structure such as forestroads are the mainthreats. Unstable politi-cal climates, armedconflicts, viral epide-mics, illegal killing fortrophies and forbushmeat, kidnappinginfant gorillas for zoosand the exotic pettrade, and habitat loss have been the most serious pressures ongorilla numbers. CMS endorses UNEP’s Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), and is working towards establishing the Agree-ment on the Conservation of Gorillas and Their Habitats, to develop gorilla ecotourism as a source of conservation and com-munity income.

Conserving African antelopes

Oryx, other antelope spe-cies and gazelles are keyspecies in the biodiversityof the North African Sa-helo-Saharan region. Theyhave developed uniqueadaptation responses tothe most arid environ-ment. In addition to beinga primary source of foodthey have historicallyplayed a major role in the

Mountain Gorilla © Patrick Van Klaveren

Dama Gazelle © Olivier Born

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livelihood of local communities. Butdue to severe man-made impactson their habitats and excessive hun-ting they are rapidly declining. AnAction Plan for six seriously endan-gered species, developed with active support of the Convention,recommends reinforcing some ofthe populations in the wild with captive-bred individuals, reducingmortality and enhancing internat-ional co-operation. With support ofEuropean and American zoos morethan 50 antelopes were translocatedto Tunisia in 2007.

The world’s largest terrestrial mammal

West African elephantpopulations have be-come extremely vul-nerable. The loss of90% of their habitatand illegal killing arethe primary causes.The Memorandum ofUnderstanding there-fore aims mainly tostop illegal killing andto reduce the rate ofhabitat loss.

Central Eurasian aridland mammals

Steppes and deserts are a favoured domain of activity for CMS.Arid zones, despite their relatively low species density, host anumber of highly emblematic, remarkably adapted species. Theconservation and restoration of the unique megafauna of themountains and steppes in cold and temperate deserts and semi-

Addax © Olivier Born

Elephants © Betty Bruce – UNEP / Still Pictures

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deserts of Asia and Europe are essential for these exceptional habitats. The Central Eurasian arid-land concerted action coversEurasian mammals, such as Bactrian Camels, Yaks, Khulans,Snow Leopards and gazelles.

Protecting land mammals

The Central Asian Bukhara deer, once numbered in great quan-tities, faces the threat of extinction as a result of human activities.Today, only a few hundred animals remain as a result of illegal

hunting as well asartificial regulationof the water re-gimes in the rivervalleys where theylive. A Memoran-dum of Under-standing developedunder CMS aimsto save the speciesfrom the brink ofextinction.

Combating poaching of antelopes

Until the early 1990s, more than one million Saiga Antelopesused to roam the steppes and deserts of Eurasia. In recent de-cades, poaching for the saiga’s meat and horn, which is used inChinese traditional medicine, has contributed to the decline of all

Bactrian Camels © Doron / Wikipedia

Bactrian Camels© Richard Reading

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saiga populations. The aim of the Memorandum of Under-standing is to reduce current exploitation levels and restore thepopulation status of these nomads of the Central Asian steppes.

Working for European bats

The CMS Agreement on theConservation of Populationsof European Bats (Euro-bats) deals with 46 speciesknown to occur in Europe.The most immediate threatsto them nowadays derivefrom degradation of the pla-ces where they live, distur-bance of roosting sites andcertain insecticides and

pesticides. Eurobats achieved new andimproved legal protection standards forbats. The “European Bat Night” is a pop-ular annual awareness-raising event ce-lebrated all over Europe.

Saiga Antelope © R. Stach

Schreibers’ Bat © François Schwaab

Schreibers’ Bat © François Schwaab

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Journeys at risk: Insects

Monarch Butterflies are found all around the world in temperate,sub-tropical to tropical areas. They are found in open habitatsincluding meadows, fields, marshes and cleared roadsides. Notall populations are migratory, but those that are cover distancesof up to 3,000km. The migration may take up to three generat-

ions to complete with the females laying their eggs alongthe way. The destruction oftheir habitat through construct-ing roads, housing develop-ments and agriculturalexpansion poses the greatestthreat. Conservation measuresthus focus on habitat restor-ation and protection.

Monarch butterfly© Glen Smart

Monarch butterflies© Gene Nieminen, USFWS

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Web Sites of Agreements under CMS:

ACAPhttp://www.acap.aq

ACCOBAMShttp://www.accobams.org

AEWAhttp://www.unep-aewa.org

ASCOBANShttp://www.ascobans.org

Common Wadden Sea Secretariathttp://www.waddensea-secretariat.org

Eurobatshttp://www.eurobats.org

Gorillashttp://www.naturalsciences.be/science/projects/gorilla

CMS related Web Sites:

Avian Influenza Wildlife and the Environment Webhttp://www.aiweb.info

GRASPhttp://www.unep.org/grasp

International Crane Foundationhttp://www.savingcranes.org

IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU Websitehttp://www.ioseaturtles.org

Sahara Conservation Fundhttp://www.saharaconservation.org

Siberian Crane Wetland Projecthttp://www.scwp.info

WOWhttp://www.wingsoverwetlands.org

For more information, contact:Convention on Migratory SpeciesUNEP/CMS SecretariatHermann-Ehlers-Strasse 1053113 Bonn, GermanyTel. (+49 228) 815 24 01/02Fax (+49 228) 815 24 49Email: secretariat@cms.inthttp://www.cms.int

UN ACTION TO CONSERVEWILDLIFE IN A CHANGINGWORLD

«…The States are and must be the protectors of the migratory spe-cies of wild animals that live within or pass through their national jurisdictional boundaries…»

«…Conservation and effective management of migratory species ofwild animals require the concerted action of all States within the national jurisdictional boundaries of which such species spend anypart of their life cycle…»

- from the preamble of the Convention

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