U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) COP15 adds 40 species to global protection list

Key facts

• The U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) COP15 summit concluded in Campo Verde, Brazil, with representatives from 132 countries and the European Union.
• CMS Parties approved listing 40 new species for international protection, including the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica), great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), and giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis).
• A pre-summit report found 49 percent of CMS-catalogued species show declining numbers and nearly one in four are threatened with global extinction.
• CMS-listed countries are legally bound to protect at-risk species, conserve and restore habitats, remove migration barriers, and cooperate with other range states.
• A major U.N. assessment released during the summit warned migratory freshwater fish populations are in freefall due to habitat destruction, overfishing, and water pollution.