Bonn, 17 May 2013 - On the occasion of the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise, which is celebrated in countries around the Baltic Sea every year on the third Sunday in May, ASCOBANS has partnered with NGOs Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), NABU and OceanCare to run a creativity competition in Germany.

Creative minds will have opportunity to explore through their art and design work the importance they personally give to having these unique animals in the Baltic Sea. More information, in the German language, can be found here from Sunday, 19 May onwards.

For the German-language press release, click here.

Bonn, 15 May 2013 - The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council has published the “Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA),” a report on the status and trends of Arctic biodiversity.

The Arctic hosts a significant array of biodiversity, including migratory species such as the Blue Whale, the Fin Whale, the Harbour Seal, shark species and birds such as the Red Knot, which are listed on the CMS Appendices. In the light of increasing stressors on Arctic fauna, understanding biodiversity changes and responses is necessary to conserve migratory species.

[Read on]

Bonn, 14 May 2013 - An estimated three hundred keen opera lovers and music enthusiasts attended the first ever CMS-sponsored benefit concert given by the Bologna Opera Choir.  Held in the recently renovated baroque Namen-Jesu Church in Bonn, the event was organized as part of the celebrations of World Migratory Bird Day. 

CMS Executive Secretary, Bradnee Chambers opened the concert and expressed his thanks to the Namen-Jesu Church for making available the wonderful setting, to the Cultural Office of the City of Bonn, the Federal Ministry of the Environment and the Lions Club for their generous support as well as to the choir for providing the prospect of a feast for the ears.

[Read on]

World Migratory Bird Day 2013 Highlights Importance of Ecological Networks for Migratory Birds—Need for a Greater International Response

Bonn/Nairobi, 10 May 2013 -The annual migration of an estimated 50 billion birds - around 19 per cent of the world's 10,000 bird species - is one of the world's great natural wonders, yet the critical staging areas migratory birds need to complete these journeys are being degraded or are disappearing completely.

[Read on]

World Migratory Bird Day press page

Bonn, 10 May 2013 - Recognizing that the Global Partnership on Oceans has stated objectives to work towards sustainable seafood and livelihoods, protect critical coastal and ocean habitats and biodiversity and to reduce pollution, the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals has become an official member of the Partnership.

The Global Partnership for Oceans is a growing alliance of more than 100 governments, international organizations, civil society groups, and private sector interests committed to addressing the threats to the health, productivity and resilience of the world’s oceans. It aims to tackle widely documented problems of overfishing, pollution, and habitat loss. Together these problems are contributing to the depletion of a natural resource bank that provides nutrition, livelihoods and vital ecosystem services.

[Read on]

Bonn, 9 May 2013 - Migratory species play essential roles in ecosystems worldwide. They also contribute to drylands diversity. However, their diverse habitats are threatened by land degradation and desertification.  In contribution to this year’s World Migratory Bird Day (11-12 May), the UNCCD published a factsheet on migratory species and desertification in cooperation with CMS.

Read factsheets in: English, French and Spanish

Bonn, 9 May 2013 - During a meeting of the Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group (SSIG) in Agadir, Morocco, 2-4 May 2013, the role of CMS in catalyzing action for the conservation of the region’s antelopes was highlighted. This group of species includes taxa severely threatened such as the Addax or the Dama Gazelle, while other species such as the Scimitar-Horned Oryx are already extinct in the wild and reintroduction from captive stock is the only way to restore them to their original habitat.

The photograph has been kindly provided by A. Jebali.

[Read on]

Bonn, 6 May 2013 - CMS welcomes one of the most developed economies in the Pacific region, the Republic of Fiji, as the 119th Party to the Convention, with effect from 1 April 2013.

Fiji comprises an archipelago of more than 332 coral and volcanic islands, among which 100 are inhabited, covering a total land area of 18,376 square kilometres. The country is blessed with a wealth of terrestrial and freshwaater ecosystems with 946 endemic species currently known. Its diverse ecosystems consist of natural forest areas and a range of coastal and marine habittas, including mangrove and coral reefs.

[Read on]

Bonn, 3 May 2013 - Andean Flamingos bring life and colour to the marshes, lagoons, estuaries and lakes they inhabit. These large and highly gregarious birds are able to live in water bodies located at 4,000 metres above sea level. Flamingos (also known as Parihuanas) are some of the largest birds found at such high altitudes. Parihuanas are considered habitat specialists, have specific eating habits and may change their distribution and abundance depending on seasonal changes in habitat and food quality. Extreme environmental events, such as droughts, along with habitat loss caused by human activities, can cause a large decrease in the number of flamingos, which currently are considered a globally threatened species.

[Read on] [versión española]

Project of the Month

During the 2012 round of the Small Grant Programme a total of 75 applications was received and 12 projects were selected for funding. In the coming months each of these projects will be featured on the CMS website in a new “Project of the Month” series that will show the activities that are taking place within each project and the conservation impact on the species concerned.

[More on the Small Grants Programme]

Bonn, 2 May 2013 - The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the Arctic Council’s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF), have signed a resolution of cooperation, 29 April 2013 in Budapest, Hungary, to better integrate efforts to protect and conserve Arctic migratory species. The signing was kindly hosted by the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation in the margins of their 60th General Assembly.

In the face of increasing threats to Arctic biodiversity, understanding biodiversity changes is extremely important for migratory species conservation. The Arctic is extremely important as a breeding and feeding area for hundreds of migratory species that migrate out of the region and connect with all other continents on Earth.

[Read on]

Bonn, 26 April 2013 - The first draft of the Strategic Plan for Migratory Species 2015-2023, prepared by the CMS Parties’ Inter-sessional Strategic Plan Working Group, has been released for comments by 30 September 2013.

The draft presents the highest level of the Plan’s content – the proposed Goals and Targets, based on the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. These are the focus of the current consultations while other chapters, such as on implementation, are only scoped in this draft and will be fleshed out in more detail for a future round of consultation.

The photograph was kindly supplied by Tanya Rosen.

[Read on]

Szarvas/Bonn, 12 April 2013 - The 3rd Meeting of Signatories to the MOU on the Conservation and Management of the Middle-European Population of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) concluded on 12 April, 2013 in Szarvas, Hungary. The two day MOU Meeting was preceded by a Scientific Symposium and field trip to see Great Bustards in breeding plumage undertaking their mating displays within the Körös-Maros National Park. Experts from Spain, the UK, the Russian Federation and Mongolia joined the Middle-European Range States, to share their knowledge and experience during the Symposium.

[Read on]

Bonn, 10 April 2013 - For the first time, a charity concert will be held to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day.  On Saturday, 11 May  in Bonn, the opera choir Corale Lirica San Rocco from Bologna, Italy, will be singing a selection of works by Verdi in the Namen Jesu Church.

Fernando Spina, the Chair of the CMS Scientific Council, is one of the choir members. He suggested having this special event to mark this year’s World Migratory Bird Day.

[Read on]

Flyer with concert programme (in German)
Inside and outside

Bonn, 4 April 2013 - The Third Meeting of the Signatories to the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation (MOU) and Management of the Middle-European Population of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) will take place in Szarvas, Hungary, in the Körös-Maros National Park, from 8-12 April 2013.

[Read on]

Bonn, 1 April 2013 - Snow Leopards (Uncia uncia) live in the high mountains of Central Asia, with core areas including the Altai, Tian Shan, Kun Lun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakorum and Himalayan ranges. Across this range, Snow Leopards are suspected to have declined by at least 20 per cent over the past two generations (16 years) due to poaching, reduction of the prey base and habitat loss. Snow Leopards and their fragile mountain habitats are also considered to be at particular risk from climate change.

[Read on]

Project of the Month

During the 2012 round of the Small Grant Programme a total of 75 applications was received and 12 projects were selected for funding. In the coming months each of these projects will be featured on the CMS website in a new “Project of the Month” series that will show the activities that are taking place within each project and the conservation impact on the species concerned.

[More on the Small Grants Programme]

Bonn/Washington DC, 28 March 2013 - The United States Fish & Wildlife Service’s Division of International Conservation works with partners worldwide to conserve fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, and maintain the integrity of ecological processes beyond our borders, for present and future generations. Through its Wildlife Without Borders programme the USFWS has provided over 2,700 grants for international conservation totaling more than $100 million since 1989. As such, USFWS has worked with nearly 700 partners in developing countries, who have contributed more than $200 million in matching support for grant projects, tripling the impact of programme funding.

[Read on]

Bonn, 26 March 2013 - Ever willing to adopt modern twenty-first century technologies and methods, the CMS Secretariat has just launched its own “Twitter” account. You will now be able to keep abreast of news and views from CMS by following us here. The Twitter account complements the Convention’s existing presence on Facebook.

In 2011 CMS started two other news initiatives: “Notifications” through which parties are informed of forthcoming meetings, reports, staff appointments and other important developments; and "Media Watch", a selection of articles from newspapers, magazines and other media on issues of interest to CMS.

Bonn, 21 March 2013 - Following a Request for Proposals issued in September 2012, the Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) has approved funding for six projects under its Small Grant Fund.

During the WHMSI Steering Committee meeting, which took place on 28-29 January 2013 in Washington DC, all 37 applications to the Small Grant Fund were examined by the Committee on which CMS is represented. Now that the selection process has been completed, OAS has just published a list of the successful projects.

[Read on]

Bonn, 14 March 2013 - Each year on the second weekend in May, dedicated organizations and people around the world plan World Migratory Bird Day events to celebrate migratory birds in their region and to raise awareness about the need for their conservation. Since World Migratory Bird Day began in 2006, events have reached 118 countries. In 2012 alone, over 250 events were celebrated for World Migratory Bird Day and this year we hope to motivate even more people and organizations to connect and work together towards conserving migratory birds worldwide.

This year’s World Migratory Bird Day theme is “Networking for migratory birds”. It aims to emphasize the mutual importance of ecological networks and networks between organizations and individuals for the long-term conservation of migratory birds

[Read on][français][español]

Bonn, 12 March 2013 - The CMS Secretariat warmly welcomes Dr. Bradnee Chambers who has entered on duty as the new Executive Secretary of Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). He succeeds Mrs. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema who took up her new post at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarters in January 2012. Prior to his appointment, Bradnee headed the Law and Governance Branch of the Division of Environmental Law and Conventions at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi.

[Read on][français]

Bonn/Abu Dhabi , 11 March 2013 - The Sooty Falcon (Falco concolor) is a fast, highly agile bird of prey that feeds on small birds and insects captured in flight. It is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List and is listed in ‘Category 1’ (Globally and Near Threatened species) of the UNEP/CMS Raptors MOU, primarily due to suspected population declines.

It breeds in harsh desert and semi-arid habitats, in and around the Middle East, and spends the winter on Madagascar, with small numbers remaining along the South-East littoral zone of Africa.

[Read on]

Enhanced Law Enforcement, International Collaboration and Reducing Demand Required to Avert Crisis

Bangkok, 6 March 2013 - Populations of elephants in Africa continue to be under severe threat as the illegal trade in ivory grows - with double the numbers of elephants killed and triple the amounts of ivory seized, over the last decade.

[Read on UNEP Press Release]

Bonn/Bangkok, 5 March 2013 - at a joint CMS-CITES side event at the CITES COP, representatives from China and the Chinese Traditional Medicine Association (CTMA) stressed their interest to engage in and contribute more strongly in the conservation efforts under the CMS Saiga MOU, to enforce existing legislation and increase cooperation between in CTMA and Range States of Saiga antelopes (Saiga spp).

[Read on]

Bonn, 1 March 2013 - The Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea) is an intra-African migratory species that is threatened by destruction and degradation of its grassland and wetland habitats on both its breeding and non-breeding grounds. The destruction of its natural habitat has led to a rapid reduction of its already small population, which is projected to continue in the future unless immediate conservation action is taken across its entire distribution range.

[Read on]

Project of the Month

During the 2012 round of the Small Grant Programme a total of 75 applications was received and 12 projects were selected for funding. In the coming months each of these projects will be featured on the CMS website in a new “Project of the Month” series that will show the activities that are taking place within each project and the conservation impact on the species concerned.

[More on the Small Grants Programme]

Manila, Philippines, 20 February 2013 - The Second Signatory State Meeting for the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (Dugong MOU) was hosted by the Government of the Philippines on 19 and 20 February in Manila, Philippines. The Dugong MOU was concluded in 2007 under the auspices of the UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals to protect an endangered sea cow species.  The Dugong MOU Secretariat coordinates support for international efforts to conserve dugongs and seagrasses from the UNEP/CMS Abu Dhabi Office which is hosted by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), on behalf of the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

[Press Release]

Arabic version

Bonn, 14 February 2013 - UNEP has today launched Stanley Johnson’s book UNEP - the First 40 Years to mark the 40th Anniversary of the organization. The author and conservationist traces the history and milestones of the UN agency, which has become the world’s leading inter-governmental organization on environmental issues. The book ranges from the development of the Mediterranean Action Plan and the Regional Seas programme to the genesis of the Convention on Migratory Species, the three Rio Conventions to the most recent establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Stanley’s book was launched at the beginning of the First Universal Session of UNEP Governing Council in Nairobi, Kenya.

[Press Release, UNEP HQ]

[Press Release, Brussels Office]

Bonn/London, 12 February 2013 - The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce/NOAA) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) have signed a renewed Letter of Cooperation (LOC) aimed at  continuing collaboration in the conservation and management of migratory marine species and their habitats.  Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, and Bert Lenten, CMS Deputy Executive Secretary and Officer in Charge, signed the Letter at the United States Embassy in London, United Kingdom, on 12 February 2013. Shannon Dionne and Alexis Gutierrez, NOAA officers involved in development of the LOC were also present at the signing.

[Read on]

Bonn, 12 February 2013 - The CMS Secretariat was represented at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) which took place in Bangkok (Thailand) from 28th January to 2nd February 2013. The topic of the Conference was “A World United Against Infectious Diseases: Cross Sectoral Solutions”.

Prince Mahidol was the father of the current King of Thailand, Rama IX. A doctor by training, he is regarded as the father of modern medicine and public health in Thailand. He created a programme of scholarships to allow Thai medical students to travel abroad for training. In commemoration of the centenary of his birth, the Prince Mahidol Award was created in 1992.

[Read on]

Bonn, 4 February 2013 - It is with great sadness that the CMS Secretariat has learned of the passing away of Professor Geoffrey Matthews at the age of 89.

The first announcement of the planning for CMS was made by the German Ministry for the Environment at the Heiligenhafen Conference in 1974. This was one of the wetlands and waterbird conferences held before Ramsar came into force.  Geoffrey Matthews chaired the Heiligenhafen Conference, and so was informed from the outset of the development of the Convention.

[Read on]

Bonn, 27 January 2013 - A new international science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystems, set up to assist governments and citizens to better understand the state, trends and challenges facing the natural world and humanity in the 21st century, has today put in place many of the administrative and staffing structures needed to implement its important work.

[Read on]

Closing Joint Statement from the Six Biodiversity-Related Conventions

Opening Joint Statement from the Six Biodiversity-Related Conventions

For more information about the IPBES meeting, please click here.

Link to report on 3sat TV

IPBES’s first steps, big steps for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
First meeting of newly established IPBES

Bonn, 15 January 2013- The first session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-1) will be held in Bonn, Germany from 21 to 26 January 2013, hosted by the Government of Germany.

[Read on]

Bonn, 14 January 2013 - Dr. Johannes Stahl joined the CMS Secretariat today on a temporary contract to replace Dr. Aline Kuehl who is currently on extended leave of absence. As the new Associate Scientific and Technical Officer, Johannes will support the work of the Science Unit and assist with the organization of meetings of the Scientific Council as well as other events. More specifically, he will work on the development of the Small Grants Programme and cross-cutting issues such as climate change and ecological networks.

[Read on]

Bonn, 2 January 2013 - The CMS Secretariat is pleased to announce the accession of the Kingdom of Swaziland as the 118th Party to the Convention on 1st January 2013. CMS regards the accession of Swaziland as a very positive development with the potential to have a significant impact on conservation activities in the Southern African region. Swaziland has also acceded to the Agreement on African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) bringing its membership to 69.

The Kingdom of Swaziland, a land-locked country covering some 17,000 km2, is located between South Africa and Mozambique in the southern part of the African continent. Swaziland contains an impressive variety of highlands and open savannah grasslands.

[Read on]