NEWS – A UN convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals (CMS) adopted India’s initiative for the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and agreed to list 14 additional migratory species from across the globe for conservation in the CMS appendices

THE INITIATIVE

• Supported by conservation non-profit BirdLife International and 30 other governments from Russian Siberia to the Maldives
• Committed to establish an initiative for the Central Asian Flyway under the CMS
• Aim of the initiative is to restore and maintain favourable conservation status of migratory species populations and assisting their ecological connectivity in the flyway
• The Initiative for the Central Asian Flyway will act as a platform for capacity building, knowledge sharing, research and coordination among all range countries and will pave the way to conserve the populations of the 600+ species of migratory birds that use this flyway
• The adopted initiative includes the establishment of a coordinating unit in India with financial support from the Indian Government

NOTE: CMS listed 14 species in CMS appendices for protection include Eurasian Lynx, Peruvian Pelican, Pallas’s Cat, Guanaco, Laulao Catfish, Balkan Lynx, Lahille’s Bottlenose Dolphin, Harbour Porpoise, Magellanic Plover, Bearded Vulture, Blackchin Guitarfish, Bull Ray, Lusitanian Cownose Ray and Gilded Catfish.

CENTRAL ASIAN FLYWAY

• One of the major migratory bird routes globally, connecting breeding grounds in northern Asia and Siberia with wintering grounds in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of West Asia
• This flyway is vital for various bird species, including waterbirds, shorebirds, and landbirds, as they traverse long distances during their annual migrations
• Many waterbirds, including ducks, geese, swans, and waders, rely on the Central Asian Flyway for their migration. Wetlands along the flyway serve as critical habitats for these species
• The Central Asian Flyway faces various threats, including habitat loss due to urbanization and agricultural expansion. Pollution, climate change, and disturbance at stopover sites are additional challenges

COUNTRIES UNDER CENTRAL ASIAN FLYWAY

• Breeding Grounds (Northern Regions): Russia (Siberia and Far East), Kazakhstan, Mongolia
• Stopover and Wintering Grounds (Southern Regions): Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan , Myanmar, Sri Lanka
• Additional Countries with Key Sites: Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan , China, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Saudi Arabia , Yemen, Oman, Egypt, Sudan