Migrating to extinction
◆ A major UN survey of migratory species shows that almost half are in decline and one in five are facing an existential threat, writes Stephen Beech
Nearly half of the world’s migratory species are declining in number, while more than one in five are threatened with extinction, new research has shown.
The landmark United Nations report reveals the shocking state of wildlife around the globe, with humanity the main reason so many species are at risk.
It comes after a separate report by the RSPB revealed Scotland’s seabird populations were declining at a remarkable rate, with 17 of 20 seabird species recorded for the census now in decline, largely due to avian influenza.
The report also showed gannets had suffered a 22 per cent decline since 2021, while more than three quarters (76 per cent) of Scotland’s great skuas have been lost to bird flu.
The first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report was launched by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a UN biodiversity treaty, at the opening of a major UN wildlife conservation conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The report reveals that while some migratory species listed under CMS are improving, 44 per cent are showing population declines and 22 per cent are threatened with extinction.
Nearly all (97 per cent) of Cms-listed fish are threatened with extinction, according to the findings, while the extinction risk is growing for migratory species globally, including those not listed under CMS.
Half (51 per cent) of Key Biodiversity Areas identified as important for Cms-listed migratory animals do not have protected status, while more than half
(58 per cent) of the monitored sites recognised as being important for Cms-listed species are experiencing unsustainable levels of human-caused pressure.
The two greatest threats to both Cms-listed and all migratory species are overexploitation and habitat loss due to human activity.
Three out of four Cmslisted species are impacted by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, and seven out of ten Cms-listed species are impacted by overexploitation including intentional taking as well as incidental capture.
Conservationists say climate change, pollution and invasive species are also having profound impacts on migratory species.
Globally, 399 migratory species that are threatened or near threatened with extinction are not currently listed under CMS.
Until now, no such comprehensive assessment on migratory species has been conducted.
The report provides a global overview of the conservation status and population trends of migratory animals, combined with the latest information on their main threats and successful actions to save them.
Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, says: “Today’s report clearly shows us that unsustainable human activities are jeopardising the future of migratory species – creatures who not only act as indicators of environmental change, but play an integral role in maintaining the function and resilience of our planet’s complex ecosystems. The global community has an opportunity to translate this latest science of the pressures facing migratory species into action. We cannot afford to delay, and must work together to make the recommendations a reality.”
Billions of animals make migratory journeys each year on land, in rivers and oceans, and in the skies, crossing national boundaries and continents, with some travelling thousands of miles to feed and breed.
Inger says migratory species play an “essential” role in maintaining the world’s ecosystems, and provide vital benefits, by pollinating plants, transporting key nutrients, preying on pests, and helping to store carbon.
Information from bodies including the Zoological Society of London, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature was used in the preparation of the report.
The main focus is the 1,189 animal species that have been recognised by CMS Parties as needing international protection and are listed under CMS, though it also features analysis linked to more than 3,000 additional
non-cms migratory species. Species listed under the Convention are those at risk of extinction across all or much of their range, or in need of co-ordinated international action to boost their conservation status.
Amy Fraenkel, CMS executive secretary, adds: “Migratory species face enormous challenges and their survival depends on the efforts of all countries in which they are found. This landmark report will help underpin much-needed policy actions to ensure that migratory species continue to thrive around the world.”
Over the last 30 years, 70 Cms-listed migratory species, including the steppe eagle, Egyptian vulture and the wild camel, have become more endangered.
That contrasts with just 14 listed species that now have an improved conservation status, including blue and humpback whales, the whitetailed sea eagle and the blackfaced spoonbill.
Most worryingly, nearly all Cms-listed species of fish, including migratory sharks, rays and sturgeons, are facing a high risk of extinction, with their populations declining by 90 per cent since the 1970s.
Unsustainable human activities are jeopardising the future of migratory species Inger Andersen