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In the run-up to the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP15) in Campo Grande (Brazil) from March 23-29, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have urged the inclusion of the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in Appendix I and II of the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS).
In their proposal submitted to the CMS, the two Central Asian countries note that “Listing under both Appendices would provide the highest level of international protection, obligating member states to implement measures to safeguard the species and its habitats”.
The step would also enable local governments with stronger policy frameworks, helping to overcome bureaucratic barriers that currently limit effective conservation.
“By facilitating coordinated transboundary conservation actions, the amendment would contribute to stabilizing and ultimately increasing striped hyena populations across their range, ensuring the species’ survival for future generations,” the proposal adds.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the striped hyena is Near Threatened at the global level and as Vulnerable within the Mediterranean region.
The global population is estimated to range between 5,000 and 9,999 mature individuals. According to a 1998 study by Hofer and Mills, the African population is estimated at 2,450 to 7,850 individuals, representing roughly half of the global population based on their worldwide estimate of 5,000 to 14,000 individuals.
The proposal points out that a continuing population decline has been documented, and the hyena is believed to be approaching the threshold for global Vulnerable status under criterion C1, indicating a projected reduction of at least 10 per cent over the next three generations.
“However, the current assessment is constrained by limited and outdated data, highlighting the need for a comprehensive update. Population densities are naturally low, making them highly vulnerable to local extinction,” it adds.
Accurate population estimates are challenging due to the species’ elusive nature and nocturnal habits, according to the proposal.
The striped hyena is one of four species belonging to the family Hyaenidae, with the other three being the Spotted Hyena, the Brown Hyena and the Aardwolf.
The striped hyena is found across a wide range of environments across Asia and Africa, including savannas, grasslands, semi-deserts, open woodlands, and mountainous regions.
The species ranges across Africa (North as well as Sub-Saharan), the Middle East (West Asia) as well as Asia (Central and South Asia).
It “exhibits diverse movement patterns including long-distance dispersal events and seasonal or nomadic movements in response to prey availability and environmental conditions. In arid and semi-arid regions, where resources are scarce and patchily distributed, striped hyenas may range widely and crossing international borders in search of food and water. Seasonal influxes have been locally recorded following the migrations of domestic and wild ungulates, indicating a strong ecological link to transboundary species movements,” highlighted the proposal.
“These patterns underline the importance of coordinated international conservation measures, placing the striped hyena within the scope of the CMS mandate for collaborative conservation of migratory species,” it said.
The hyena faces a range of threats including habitat loss and fragmentation due to agricultural expansion, urbanisation, and infrastructure development, reduced prey availability following the decline of other large carnivores and changes in livestock practices, as well as illegal hunting and trade.
According to the proposal, persecution often occurs due to human-wildlife conflict with herders or owners of crops, often driven by negative perceptions across much of its range.
“Listing the striped hyena in both Appendices of the CMS would activate the Convention’s strongest protection and raise international recognition of the species’ conservation needs which enables to promote coordinated transboundary efforts and international cooperation to reduce barriers of movement. This can turn to improved legislation and policy frameworks essential for its long-term conservation,” it reasoned.
