Migratory species around the world are facing escalating threats from illegal and unsustainable taking of wildlife, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has noted.
The killing is largely driven by domestic need for food, local markets and cultural practices exacerbated by weak governance, a UN statement said. It added that while global attention is focussed on high-value illegal international trade that may include migratory species, the majority of these species removed from their habitat are linked to domestic motivations.
The statements were made during the official launch of a special event — Global Initiative on the Taking of Migratory Species (GTI) — during a special event at its 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Campo Grande, Brazil.
‘Illegal’ and/or ‘unsustainable’ implies removal of wild animals from nature in ways that are prohibited under the Convention and/or exceed the level of taking that can be sustained by species populations. Taking for domestic motivations can include hunting, fishing, trapping, or capturing migratory species for food, domestic sale, sport, medicine, rituals, or retaliation in human-wildlife conflict.
The UN event observed that such steps drive global biodiversity loss. Weak enforcement, with limited data on the impact of growing demand, further intensifies the pressures on migratory species.
The 2024 State of the World’s Migratory Species report identified that illegal and/or unsustainable taking threatens the survival of 70 per cent of all the 1,200 species listed under the Convention.
The special event aimed to strengthen the global effort under the CMS to increase collaborations between governments, international organisations, scientists, conservation experts and indigenous peoples and local communities to work on the drivers of illegal and unsustainable removal of wildlife. The effort identified improving data, strengthening legal and policy frameworks, enhancing community engagement and raising awareness as key areas of work.
The GTI aims to provide coordinated support to CMS parties and fill longstanding gaps in global conservation efforts, and is expected to equip countries with the tools, partnerships and knowledge required to safeguard migratory species from this growing threat, the statement said.
Gavhar Mahmudova, National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan said, “For Uzbekistan, this initiative is especially timely. Our region is home to iconic migratory species, such as the saiga antelope, goitered gazelle, the snow leopard and the Asiatic wild ass, whose survival depends on coordinated action across borders. Many of these species face pressures from illegal hunting, habitat loss, and weak enforcement. We have seen first-hand that domestic drivers are closely tied with international demand.”
Sharing views, Aline Kuehl-Stenzel, Senior Policy Manager, Marine, BirdLife International added that more than two-thirds of CMS-listed bird species are affected, and most are already in decline.