State of the World's Migratory Species | 09 Mar 2026

Source: DTE 

Why in News? 

A concerning interim update to the UN State of the World’s Migratory Species report 2024 warns that 49% of global migratory species populations protected under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) are declining. 

What are the Key Findings of the Interim Update to the UN State of the World’s Migratory Species Report 2024? 

• Population Declines and Extinction Risk: The proportion of CMS-listed species with declining populations has increased from 44% to 49% in just 2 years.  
  • Consequently, the percentage of species with increasing or stable trends has dropped to 38%, while those facing extinction now comprise 24% of all listed species, up from 22%. 
• Deteriorating Conservation Status: Of the 386 CMS-listed species reassessed since 2022, 34 (9%) were moved to a different IUCN Red List category, with the vast majority (26 species) shifting to a more threatened category (e.g., from Endangered to Critically Endangered).  
  • A significant 69% of these species are migratory shorebirds, whose decline is attributed to habitat loss and degradation at key stopover and non-breeding sites. 
• Emergence of New and Existing Threats:  
  • Avian Flu as a Major Threat: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has emerged as a significant new threat, causing mass mortality in a range of species, including penguins, pelicans, cranes, and aquatic mammals like fur seals and sea lions. 
  • Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: The expansion of linear infrastructure (roads, railways, fences) continues to fragment habitats, as seen with the drastic decline in mobility for the Mongolian Gazelle.  
    • Land-use changes have also led to dramatic population crashes, such as the 75% decline in the Mara-Loita Blue Wildebeest since the late 1970s. 
  • Overexploitation and Bycatch: For sharks and rays, overfishing and bycatch remain primary threats. Raptor populations in Africa and Eurasia are heavily impacted by illegal taking, poisoning, and collisions with energy infrastructure. 
• Regional Success Stories and Recoveries: Despite the negative trends, targeted conservation efforts have led to successful recoveries for a few species: 
  • Scimitar-horned Oryx was reclassified from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered after reintroduction efforts in Chad. 
  • Saiga Antelope rebounded spectacularly in Kazakhstan, moving from Endangered to Near Threatened. 
  • Mediterranean Monk Seal improved from Endangered to Vulnerable due to population growth. 

What are Migratory Species? 

• About: Migratory species are defined as wild animals—including aquatic, avian (birds), and terrestrial species—whose populations cyclically and predictably move from one geographical area to another. 
  • They rely on different sites for breeding, feeding, and resting (stopovers). The loss of even one critical site along their route can threaten the entire population. 
• Taxonomic Scope: Migratory species include  
  • Birds: Bar-tailed Godwit, Arctic Tern  
  • Mammals: Terrestrial mammals include Wildebeest, Saiga Antelope, etc., while Marine mammals include Humpback Whale, Gray Whale, etc. 
  • Fish: Salmon, European Eel, etc  
  • Reptiles: Leatherback Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle, etc.  
  • Insects: Monarch Butterfly, Globe Skimmer dragonfly.  
• Protection of Migratory Species: Migratory species are protected under CMS (1979), also referred to as the Bonn Convention. India has been a party to the CMS since 1983.  
• India's Geographic Importance: India is prominent for migratory species due to its position along major global flyways, particularly the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), which supports hundreds of migratory bird populations. It also hosts important routes for marine turtles, mammals, and other taxa. Key migratory species in India are: 
  • Birds (Many using the CAF): Siberian Crane, Amur Falcon, Bar-headed Goose, Black-necked Crane, etc. 
  • Mammals: Asian Elephant, Snow Leopard, Great Indian Bustard, Pallas's Cat, etc. 
  • Marine species: Olive Ridley Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, etc.

What Steps are Needed for Conservation of Migratory Species? 

To address escalating threats, the CMS has outlined priority actions focusing on habitat protection, combating overexploitation, reducing pollution, mitigating climate change, and strengthening its Appendices. 

• Protect, Connect and Restore Habitats: Priority actions include expanding protected area coverage to key biodiversity sites while enhancing management effectiveness by integrating species priorities into National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and securing sufficient resources. 
  • Regular monitoring using standardized protocols, restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030 in line with KMGBF Target 2, and prioritizing ecological connectivity—currently below 10%—are essential.  
  • Additionally, infrastructure impacts must be minimized through Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment compliance, following CMS guidance on renewable energy, linear infrastructure, and pollution. 
• Tackle Overexploitation: International collaboration must be strengthened to reduce overfishing, bycatch, and illegal killing, including through fisheries monitoring, CMS engagement with fisheries bodies, and ratification of the BBNJ Treaty.  
  • Ensure national legislation fully protects CMS Appendix I-listed species from "take" (hunting, fishing, capturing), closely regulating exceptions. 
• Reduce the Damaging Impacts of Environmental Pollution: To reduce pollution impacts on migratory species, priority actions include mitigating light pollution using CMS-endorsed guidelines, restricting underwater noise in sensitive areas with quieting technologies, and accelerating the phase-out of toxic lead ammunition.  
  • Additional measures involve lowering pesticide use near critical habitats, while tackling plastic pollution by eliminating problematic plastics and reducing unnecessary production. 
• Address Impacts of Climate Change: Use targeted ecosystem restoration to enhance habitat quality and connectivity, lessening the impact of extreme weather events, while implementing dynamic management measures to address climate-induced shifts in migration pathways.  
  • At the same time, ensure that renewable energy infrastructure expansion avoids harm to migratory species by adhering to guidance from the CMS Energy Task Force. 

Conclusion 

Urgent, coordinated action is imperative to reverse migratory species declines. Protecting habitats, tackling overexploitation and pollution, and mitigating climate change impacts are critical priorities. The recoveries achieved demonstrate that with sustained international cooperation under CMS, safeguarding these transboundary species for future generations remains achievable.