In a UN report that warns that the risk of migrants disappearing is increasing species of wild animalsit is highlighted that the recovery of populations and species is possible and cases of successful policy change and positive action are highlighted, including coordinated local action that led to the reduction of illegal bird netting in Cyprus.
Specifically, netting use for autumn 2022 was 91% lower compared to 2002 levels when the BirdLife Cyprus monitoring program began, within the survey area. More than one in five migratory animal species are threatened with extinction, according to the first report on the state of the world’s migratory species presented by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
In the exhibition, mainly 1,189 animal species recognized by CMS contracting parties were studied as species in need of international protection, while data were also analyzed for more than 3,000 migratory species that do not belong to this list.
22% of the species on the CMS list are threatened with extinction, while almost half of the species are in decline. As pointed out, over the past 30 years, 70 migratory species, such as the steppe eagle and wild camel, have become more endangered, while only 14 recorded species, such as blue whales, white-tailed sea eagles and black petrels, have now improved conservation status.
In addition, almost all CMS-listed fish, including migratory sharks, skates and sturgeons, were found to be threatened with extinction.
The two biggest threats not only to CMS-listed species but to all migratory species are overexploitation and habitat loss due to human activity. Half of the key biodiversity areas identified as important for migratory animals listed by CMS do not have protected status, and 58% of areas face unsustainable levels of human-induced pressure. Climate change, pollution and invasive species also have profound effects on migratory species.