‘Wake up call’: First-of-its-kind UN report finds 22% migratory animals face extinction, thanks to humans

Thanks to humans, more than one fifth of the "magnificent" migratory species on Earth are facing an extinction threat. As per a landmark, United Nations report released on Monday (Feb 12), migratory species across the globe are under threat.

A wake up call

The first-ever State of the World's Migratory Species assessment by the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), found that one in five species is threatened with extinction. 

The report focused on the 1,189 species covered by a 1979 UN convention to protect migratory animals. It found that about 44 per cent of them are also witnessing their populations decline. Additionally, about 22 per cent could vanish altogether.

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As per the report findings, 70 CMS-listed species have become more endangered. This includes the steppe eagle, Egyptian vulture, and the wild camel. 

In a conversation with AFP, CMS chief Amy Fraenkel said that they "are finding out the phenomenon of migration itself is under threat."

The report should be a "wake up call about what's happening," she added.

These numbers are based on assessments and data provided by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as well as the Living Planet Index. 

Who's behind this?

As per the report, humans are to blame. Our species activities like destruction or breaking of habitats, hunting, fishing, plastic pollution, overuse of chemicals and light, noise pollution pose the biggest threat — impacting 70 per cent of the species on the UN list. Up to 75 per cent of the species are affected by habitat loss.

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Furthermore, climate change also messes up migration routes and timings by altering seasonal conditions.

The report has been released ahead of a conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from February 12 to 17 for the Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (COP14). There, 130 signatory countries — with the notable absence of the United States, China, Canada, and Russia will meet for their once every three years meet to review new species to add to its watchlist. Among the animals being considered at this week's meeting will be the giant Amazon catfish.

(With inputs from agencies)