The UN Just Protected More Than 40 Animal Species—but Half Are Already in Decline
U.N. grants protection to 40+ species as extinction risks rise worldwide.
The snowy owl, cheetah and great hammerhead shark now have something in common: they’re among more than 40 animal species that just received international legal protection under a United Nations treaty.
The decision was made March 29 at the COP15 summit held in Campo Verde, Brazil. Representatives from 132 countries and the European Union met under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) to determine which migratory animals would receive new or upgraded protections. The result: dozens of species were granted stronger international safeguards.
But the numbers behind the announcement paint a troubling picture. A CMS report released ahead of the summit showed that 49 percent of species already listed under the CMS are in decline, and nearly one in four are threatened with extinction globally. In other words, the newly listed species join a roster where roughly half the animals already on it are losing ground.
Which species made the list
The newly protected species include some of the world’s most recognizable migratory animals: the snowy owl, Hudsonian godwit, great hammerhead shark, striped hyena, cheetah and giant otter.
The range of species—from owls and shorebirds to sharks, hyenas and otters—reflects the breadth of migratory animals now covered under the convention.
Each is now classified as either a “species in danger of extinction” or a “species in need of coordinated international action.” The initiative aims “to strengthen global or regional conservation efforts of such iconic species as the cheetah, striped hyena, snowy owl, giant otter, great hammerhead shark, and several shorebird species.”
What this U.N. protection order actually means
A CMS listing carries real legal obligations. Countries that are party to the convention are legally required to protect listed species, conserve and restore their habitats, reduce barriers to migration and cooperate with other nations on conservation efforts.
“From cheetahs and striped hyenas to snowy owls, giant otters and great hammerhead sharks, CMS Parties have backed stronger international action as new evidence shows many migratory species are moving closer to extinction,” the CMS said in a statement on social media.
The difficult reality behind the progress
Despite the expanded protections, CMS Executive Secretary Amy Fraenkel made clear that the crisis facing migratory species is far from resolved.
“We came to Campo Grande knowing that the populations of half the species protected under this treaty are in decline,” Fraenkel said in a release. “We leave with stronger protections and more ambitious plans, but the species themselves are not waiting for our next meeting.”
The figures underscore her urgency. With 49 percent of CMS-listed species in decline and nearly one in four threatened with extinction globally, the newly protected animals now join a list of species already under significant pressure.
Freshwater fish face collapse
A separate United Nations assessment published as the summit opened raised additional alarm. The assessment warned that migratory freshwater fish populations are rapidly declining and at risk of collapse due to habitat destruction, overfishing and water pollution.
The freshwater fish findings added yet another layer of concern to a summit already confronting evidence that migratory species around the world are in serious trouble.
What comes next
The COP15 summit concluded with what Fraenkel described as “stronger protections and more ambitious plans.” But whether those commitments lead to population recovery for species like the cheetah, snowy owl and great hammerhead shark will depend on how effectively the 132 countries and the European Union follow through.
For now, the more than 40 species newly designated under the CMS have something they lacked before: a legal framework requiring international cooperation on their behalf. As Fraenkel put it, “the species themselves are not waiting for our next meeting.”
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