Is Earth on track for a mass extinction? More than 20% of draft animals are now at risk of extermination, the report warns
From sea turtles to elephants, migratory animals include some of the most iconic species in the world.
Depending on the time of year, they can travel thousands of miles, often to breed, find food, or otherwise simply survive.
Sadly, these incredible animals are at risk of being exterminated – and it is mainly humans who are to blame.
A new report warns that 22 percent of the world’s migratory bird species are threatened with extinction and that at least almost half are declining.
The two biggest threats to these animals are overexploitation and habitat loss – both the result of human activity.
The new report names 260 migratory bird species (22 percent) as threatened with extinction, including the hawksbill turtle and the addax, a spiral-horned antelope.
The new ‘State of the world’s migratory species‘ report was published today by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
“Today’s report clearly shows us that unsustainable human activities are endangering the future of migratory species,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme.
‘Creatures that not only act as indicators of environmental change, but also play an integral role in maintaining the function and resilience of our planet’s complex ecosystems.’
Billions of animals make migratory journeys every year over land, in rivers and oceans, and in the air.
They cross national borders and continents, and some travel thousands of miles around the world to feed and breed.
Migratory species play an essential role in maintaining the world’s ecosystems and provide several benefits, such as pollinating plants and transporting nutrients.
Pictured, social lapwing, an endangered migratory bird, which breeds in Kazakhstan and winters in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Sudan
Other endangered migratory bird species include the European eel, which starts in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda and travels across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and then back again.
The report was based on species datasets and contributions from institutions such as BirdLife International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
IUCN publishes the famous Red ListThe world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
Of the 1,189 species recognized by the CMS as in need of international protection, 260 species (22 percent) are considered threatened with extinction, while 44 percent (520) are experiencing population declines.
The 260 endangered species are assessed on the IUCN Red List as ‘critically endangered’ (68), ‘endangered’ (78) or ‘vulnerable’ (114).
Among them is the hawksbill turtle, notable for its narrow, pointed beak and a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on its shell.
The critically endangered turtle species is found throughout the world’s tropical oceans, largely in coral reefs, and has traditionally been hunted by humans.
It travels long distances – typically 150 kilometers – between feeding areas and nesting beaches.
Also endangered is the scalloped hammerhead shark, which is overfished by illegal traders and prized for its fins.
It is believed that the shark species migrates to deeper waters to find food until it reaches full adult size and eventually returns to its original location.
The critically endangered hawksbill turtles are found mainly in the world’s tropical oceans, especially in coral reefs
Conservation scientists believe the scalloped hammerhead shark (pictured) is in danger of extinction
As for land animals, the list includes the addax, a spiral-horned antelope native to the Sahara.
It is thought to migrate south into Africa’s Sahelian savannah zone during the hot season to encounter the first showers and rain-generated pastures.
Other endangered migratory bird species include the European eel, which starts in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda and crosses the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and then back.
There is also the North Atlantic right whale, which was also on the brink of extinction around 1890.
According to the report, human-built obstacles, such as bridges and roads, act as physical barriers to migration for many of these animals.
This lowers the chances of a successful migration, which in turn lowers the chances of survival.
Even “non-physical” barriers, such as disruption from industrial development and shipping traffic, pose “formidable barriers to migrating populations.”
It is believed that the addax migrates southwards into the African Sahelian savannah zone during the hot season to encounter the first showers and rain-generated pastures
The North Atlantic right whale (pictured) was driven to extinction in the 1890s
Removing or mitigating physical obstacles to animal migration, such as roads and bridges, which are critical to the survival of migratory species
Of the 1,189 species recognized by the CMS as in need of international protection, 260 species (22 percent) are considered at risk of extinction
Other factors include pollution, including pesticides, plastics, heavy metals and excess nutrients, as well as underwater noise and light pollution.
The current situation for fish in particular is of ‘particular concern’, with as many as 97 percent of CMS-listed fish species at risk of extinction.
Researchers say ‘coordinated international action’ is ‘urgently needed’ to reverse population declines and conserve these species and their habitats.
“The global community has an opportunity to translate this latest science about the pressures migrating species face into concrete conservation action,” Andersen said.
“Given the precarious situation of many of these animals, we cannot afford to delay and must work together to make the recommendations a reality.”