Every fifth migratory species is under threat of extinction – UN
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The threat of extinction of migratory animals is growing rapidly. More than 20% of internationally protected species are at risk. Among them are almost all types of migratory fish.
This is reported by the United Nations with reference to the report of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
The report states that many of them are threatened with extinction due to pollution, the spread of invasive species (those that pose a threat to flora and fauna) and climate change, writes The Guardian.
The data, in particular, indicate that 22% of CMS-listed species (262 out of 1,189) are threatened with extinction. Moreover, in almost half of them (44%), the number of individuals is sharply reduced.
| Photo: CMS |
97% of listed sharks, rays and sturgeons are at high risk of extinction: their populations have declined by 90% since the 1970s, scientists say.
Gorillas and almost half of all turtles covered by the convention are also endangered. In particular, the number of spiny-tailed turtles, which can fly almost 13 thousand kilometers from Australia to Alaska without stopping, is decreasing.
In addition, straw fruit bats, which carry out the largest migration of mammals across Africa, are also at risk, as well as the European eel population.
“Animals are in trouble, some of them are in danger of extinction. The trend is also problematic: 44% of species listed in the Red Book are in a state of decline, and the risk of extinction of migratory species around the world is increasing rapidly.
Three out of four species suffer from habitat loss, seven out of ten from overexploitation, which includes deliberate killing (hunting, poisoning or trapping).
People may not realize that whales, lions, gorillas, giraffes and many birds are migratory species… This is a huge cause for concern.” said Amy Frankel, executive secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
She added that national governments can also do a lot to prevent the decline of endangered species.
To preserve those individuals that remain and help populations recover quantitatively, the authors of the report recommend minimizing human infrastructure along key flight, swimming and migration routes. There is also a need to focus on protecting areas that are crucial for migrations.
Despite conservation efforts, 70 species listed in the Red Book, including the steppe eagle, Egyptian vulture and wild camel, have experienced declining populations over the past 30 years.
“We must turn scientific theories into concrete conservation actions. Given the vulnerable situation of animals, we cannot afford to delay”– noted Inger Andersen, head of the UN Department of Environment.
We will remind, in the USA they offer 50 thousand dollars for data on the death of wolves, which are in danger of disappearing.
Read also: Lonely rhinoceroses and a parrot that does not fly. What do you know about animals that may become extinct? TEST
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