The Conference of the Parties at its eleventh meeting (COP11, 2014) included the development of an atlas on animal migration as an activity to pursue within the CMS Programme of Work for 2015-2017. The production of the atlas was foreseen as a long-term initiative, expected to be continued in future triennia and to be implemented through a modular approach. A mandate for continued work on an atlas was included in the CMS Programmes of Work for the intersessional periods between COP12 and COP13, and between COP13 and COP14. This page provides access to the various existing modules.

 

Atlas for migratory mammals in the Central Asian region

Resolution 11.24 The Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) endorsed the concept of CAMI and adopted a comprehensive Programme of Work (PoW) annexed to the Resolution. It also adopted Guidelines for Addressing the Impact of Linear Infrastructure on Large Migratory Mammals in Central Asia. In the context of the implementation of the PoW, a Central Asian Mammals Migration and Linear Infrastructure Atlas was developed, with funding from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany (BMU) and the Swiss Government and under the lead of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The atlas aimed at mapping the distribution and movement corridors of migratory mammals, and threats from linear infrastructure, such as railways, roads, pipelines, and border fences, across the entire Central Asian region. It features the distribution of ten of the most affected species in ten countries as well as constructed and planned infrastructure.

The atlas was finalized in 2019 and published as CMS Technical Series Publication No. 41 in 2019. The atlas is currently being updated within the framework of the Central Asian Mammals and Climate Adaptation (CAMCA) project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Government. The updated CAMI Atlas is expected be launched in 2024 as an online, interactive web tool to facilitate greater accessibility and usability for stakeholders and will partially integrate data on climate change effects on certain migratory species in the region.

 

Access the Central Asian Mammals Migration and Linear Infrastructure Atlas

Press Release: New Atlas Helps Remove Barriers to Animal Migration in Central Asia

 

Atlas of bird migration in the Eurasian-African region

Development of this module, funded by the Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea of the Government of Italy and undertaken by the European Union for Bird Ringing (EURING) in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior under an agreement with the CMS Secretariat, has been completed. The Atlas was launched at an event at the Museum of Migration on the Italian island of Ventotene in May 2022. Researchers from 10 different institutions and data gathered by over 50 different organizations contributed to the Atlas. A major accomplishment of the Atlas is to have collated, analyzed, and synthesized bird ringing data collected over more than 100 years on 300 species. In addition, for over 100 of these species, the online mapping tool UNEP/CMS/COP14/Doc.20 3 overlays movement patterns identified through bird ringing with tracks obtained through satellite transmitters, GPS-GSM tags or geo-locators. Together, they provide the most complete information available on the migration routes of these species.

Another main feature of the Atlas is the four research modules addressing different aspects of bird migration and relationships between birds and people. All are highly relevant to international and flyway scale bird conservation. These research modules address the following topics:

 

Access the Eurasian African Bird Migration Atlas

Press release: UN Initiative to Establish a Global Atlas on Animal Migration Sets Milestone with Launch of New Bird Migration Atlas

Marine Turtle Breeding and Migration Atlas "TurtleNet”

This online interactive atlas developed by Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science (DES) in collaboration with CMS, brings together decades of Australian and global data on nesting, courtship, feeding and migration routes of marine turtles. It was launched on 16 June 2021 on the occasion of World Sea Turtle Day 2021. It can be accessed here. Funding aimed at further developing the Atlas, notably increasing the number of migration animations, has been secured from the Government of Australia. The Secretariat is liaising with DES on the realization of the project.

 

Access TurtleNet

News article: Launch of Interactive Atlas “TurtleNet”: A Milestone in Marine Turtle Conservation

Atlas of Ungulate Migration

An international team of over 80 scientists has collaborated to create the first-ever interactive migration map of hooved mammals such as antelopes, guanacos and zebras, that routinely travel large distances at different times in the year. Such animals are collectively called “ungulates".  Known as the Atlas of Ungulate Migration, the tool uses the best available science to provide up-to-date migration maps. In addition to providing scientific information, the tool will be invaluable in informing conservation planning, infrastructure development, and policymaking to enhance ecological connectivity. The new interactive map currently covers 20 global populations, ranging from the iconic Serengeti wildebeest and African elephant, to the saiga of the Central Asian steppe.

Developed under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) – a biodiversity treaty of the United Nations – the researchers analyzed tracking data to produce the new digital atlas. The online tool was developed through the efforts of the “Global Initiative for Ungulate Migration” (GIUM), established in 2020, representing a consortium of scientists and institutions worldwide. The maps will be made freely available to governments, conservationists, and the public.

 

Access the Atlas of Ungulate Migration

Press release: UN Launches First-Ever Live Map of Large Mammal Migrations