Panama City/ Bonn, 26 August 2010 - Latin America and the Caribbean is the region with the greatest biological diversity on Earth and host several of the world's mega-diverse countries, such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela with ecosystems used by numerous species during their migration. Together they host between 60 and 70 percent of all forms of life.

The regions also hold 41 percent of the world's bird species and migratory birds and aquatic species, such as marine turtles, sharks, whales and dolphins, are an important part of the biodiversity. However, they now are threatened by fisheries, habitat degradation, and the drainage of wetlands for agricultural use.

To address these challenges to biodiversity conservation and the possible solutions, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) brought together decision makers and non-governmental organizations from 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to a workshop in Panama City to discuss better ways to coordinate and implement activities.

"The workshop brought together CMS and important partners to help governments throughout the Latin American region to better conserve their extremely rich biodiversity. It is another example of how CMS seeks to achieve its objectives through collaboration with like-minded organizations, all of which face similar challenges in dealing with the effects of climate change," said CMS Executive Secretary Elizabeth Maruma Mrema.

With Amazonia and the Pantanal, Latin America hosts some of the world's most important wetlands. The conservation of migratory species and their wetland habitats requires international cooperation among governments, NGOs and biodiversity related conventions.

The Coast of the Gulf of Mexico in particular provides critical habitat for hundreds of species of migratory birds, which use this area for breeding, wintering, refuelling, and resting on their long journeys. However, in addition to countless fish, over 6,000 birds, 1,000 sea turtles and 80 marine mammals were collected dead after the devastating oil spill caused by the recent explosion of the BP-owned oil rig, the Deep Water Horizon.

The meeting that lasted from 23-25 August helped coordinating training opportunities and enhanced the capacity of decision makers responsible for the implementation of the Convention and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements as well as NGOs in the field of biological diversity and migratory species. The first meeting of this kind was held by CMS and Ramsar in Panama in 2007, where the participants exchanged valuable knowledge on the impact of decisions on wetlands and migratory species and how to sustainably manage and use natural resources.

CMS participates in several initiatives to promote the conservation of migratory species with a special focus on migratory birds in the region. The Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) provides a platform of cooperation among governments, international conventions and civil society. CMS, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and Wetlands International, and the Ramsar Regional Center for Training and Research on Wetlands in the Western Hemisphere (CREHO) have joined the initiative to protect all migratory species in the Western Hemisphere.

CMS also provides scientific advice to the Western Hemisphere Shorebirds Reserve Network (WHSRN) in protecting migratory shorebirds and their habitats across the Americas through a network of key sites. To date, WHSRN site partners have conserved more than 29 million acres of shorebird habitats.

In 2006, CMS concluded an agreement with Argentina and Chile to reverse the dramatic decline of Ruddy-headed geese populations and save the species from extinction. This was the result of the introduction of the Patagonian fox, illegal sports hunting, degradation of grassland habitat, excessive use of chemicals in agriculture in Argentina which brought the Ruddy-headed geese population to a mere 1,000 individuals in 2004. CMS and Wetlands International enhanced efforts to reduce hunting pressure accompanied by an educational campaign, which informed local communities, hunters and farmers about the need to save the Ruddy-headed Goose from extinction. Recent surveys and monitoring recorded a substantial increase in population in its main breeding and wintering areas.

The High Andean Flamingo, which inhabits salt and alkaline lakes at altitudes of 2,500 and 5,000 meters, also benefits from international cooperation under CMS. However, agricultural use, overgrazing, climate change, mining, unsustainable management and unregulated tourism threaten its survival and the vulnerable wetlands they depend on. Satellite telemetry, which track the birds' movements in time and space, show that the flamingo's habitat covers Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile and links different ecosystems.. Under the CMS Flamingo agreement, a strategy for sustainable tourism was introduced as alternative income for local communities.

Degradation of grassland habitats poses a serious threat to particular bird species that migrate between breeding sites and wintering areas in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Deliberate use of fire, fragmentation of grasslands and hunting have resulted in sharp population declines. Research, new protected areas, habitat restoration and education could prevent further losses.

The wider Caribbean hosts some of the world's most important nesting sites of marine turtles. While navigating huge distances between feeding grounds and nesting beaches, they are currently threatened by coastal development, light and water pollution, poaching, by-catch and climate change. Several countries in the Wider Caribbean, such as Mexico, the USA, Costa Rica, have regulations prohibiting turtle poaching, imposing severe penalties and implementing conservation measures.

Two important regional instruments that protect sea turtles in the Wider Caribbean: The Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW Protocol), which Secretariat is the UNEP Caribbean Environmental Programme, and the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles.

Marine turtles, like other wildlife and human communities, feel the impact of climate change enormously. Vegetation covered nesting beaches have receded up to 50 metres during the last two years in Costa Rica.

Efforts are being made to counter the threats. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) in Latin America and the Caribbean, in cooperation with local communities, will restore native coastal forest; integrate coastal development and protected areas, and transfer existing infrastructure and nesting beaches to adapt to a changing environment. This will help both people and sea turtles to better cope with sea level rise and could serve as a worldwide model in conserving the marine environment.

CMS supports the use of satellite transmitters to track migrations of sea turtles and to locate feeding grounds and threats they face at sea. Since sea turtles migrate on a global scale, CMS is considering complementing the network of ecosystems by developing a conservation tool for marine turtles in the South Pacific.

"Capacity-building provides opportunities to exchange information among government representatives, in particular decision or policy makers, scientists and local communities. It also helps to reconcile science and policy on aspects of biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being" said Margarita Astrálaga, Regional Director of UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.