The CMS Secretariat is pleased to announce the addition of Przewalski’s Horse, Gobi Bear, and Steppe Eagle, all proposed by Mongolia, to the CMS Appendices at COP12. Przewalski’s Horses were last seen in 1969 in the wild near Mongolian border in Trans-Altai Gobi. The population is currently estimated to consist of more than 50 mature individuals free-living in the wild for the past seven years.

At the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took place from 24 September to 5 October in Johannesburg, South Africa, CMS hosted a side event on Argali sheep. The event - “Sustainable Use for Conservation – How CMS Can Provide a Complementary Tool to CITES” - focused on aspects of sustainable use of the Argali sheep with trophy hunting as a potential conservation measure.

Central Asian ecosystems, home to some of the most spectacular migrations of wild mammals in the world face increasing threats. Thirty experts active in Central Asia convened at the International Academy of Nature Conservation on Vilm Island in Germany to discuss how to advance their common goal of conserving Central Asian mammals and their habitats. The workshop was held on 22 to 26 August 2016 and focused on setting priorities for the implementation of the CMS Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI).

Barriers to movement such as fences are among the main threats to the survival of large mammals in Central Asia. The region, sometimes referred to as “the Serengeti of the North”, is one of the world’s last hot spots for animal migrations