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| CMS
Membership rises to 95 |
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| Two
new Parties have joined CMS on 1 December 2005: Algeria and
Bangladesh |
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| Algeria,
the largest country in Northern Africa, bordering on
the Mediterranean Sea, is home to almost 100 species
listed on the CMS Appendices. Among these are the endangered
Addax Antelopes (Addax nasomaculatus), Dama
(Gazella dama) and Dorcas Gazelles (Gazella
dorcas) and Scimitar-horned Oryx (Oryx
dammah). The recent meeting of the Conference
of the Parties to CMS (COP8 in Nairobi, 20-25 november
2005) extended for another three years the ongoing Concerted
Action for these and other threatened Sahelo-Saharan
ungulates. |
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| The
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
and the Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata)
use Algeria’s high plateaus and deserts, mountains
and coastal plain on their migrations or as wintering
grounds. Four species of marine turtles and the critically
endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus)
occur in Algeria’s waters. Algeria is a range
state to ACCOBAMS and AEWA, and signatory to the Slender-billed
Curlew MOU. The country’s accession to CMS completes
membership among the Northern African states.
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| Bangladesh,
a tropical country situated on the Bay of Bengal in
Southern Asia, is a land of water and wetlands, with
80 percent floodplain. About 600 bird species have been
recorded in Bangladesh, out of which more than 200 are
migratory. Most of the country is situated on deltas
of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas, which are
frequently subject to heavy flooding during the monsoon
season. The country hosts many important habitats for
migrating waterbirds, such as the Black-necked Crane
(Grus nigricollis), Pallas' Fishing Eagle (Haliaeetus
leucoryphus) and Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca).
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Bangladesh
is also a range state to the Central-Asian Flyway
(CAF). COP8 encouraged Parties to finalize the CAF
Action Plan and ensure its implementation. 73 other
species are listed on the Appendices.
Bangladesh is a signatory
to the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU as it hosts five species
of turtles. Cetaceans such as the critically endangered
Irrawaddy Dolphin, the endangered Ganges River Dolphin
(Platanista gangetica gangetica) depend on
the large river systems characteristic of the country.
Taking by fishermen as a non-target species is the
major threat to their survival. Three large whale
species, Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus),
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) are globally
threatened. In addition to cetaceans, the Dugong has
also been recorded in the coasts of Bangladesh. Bangladesh
already participates in a CMS initiative aimed at
improving knowledge on cetaceans and their conservation
in the Bay of Bengal.
The migratory animals
living in or crossing this country share the space
with almost 145 million people, thus making conservation
a real challenge.
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