Bonn Convention on the

Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals, 1979
Dr. Gargi Chakrabarti
Associate Professor
NLUJ
 KEY TERMS
• Migratory species: the entire population or any geographically separate part of
the population of any species or lower taxon of wild animals a significant
proportion of whose members cyclically and predictably cross one or more
national jurisdictional boundaries.
• Range: areas of land or water that a migratory species inhabits, crosses or
overflies on its migration route.
• Conservation status of a migratory species: the sum of the influences acting on
the migratory species that may affect its long-term distribution and abundance.
• Endangered: the migratory species is in danger of extinction throughout all or
part of the territory of a country.
 Conservation of Migratory Species
• The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
(CMS) aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species
throughout their range. It is an intergovernmental treaty, concluded under the
aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, concerned with the
conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale. CMS provides a global
platform for cooperation on the conservation and sustainable use of migratory
animals and their habitat. The Convention was adopted in Bonn, Germany, on
23 June 1979, and entered into force on 1 November 1983.
CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the
Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated
conservation measures throughout a migratory range.
• Seven internationally binding agreements and 19 non-binding agreements under
international law, called Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), have so far
been concluded under the CMS.
• As of March 2022, there were 133 Parties to the Convention
• Background
• The objective of the Bonn Convention is the conservation of migratory species of
wild animals worldwide. Wild animals require special attention because of their
importance from the environmental, ecological, genetic, scientific, recreational,
cultural, educational, social and economic points of view. Conservation of migratory
species particularly requires international cooperation to ensure protection across
their full range.
• Migration is a natural phenomenon by which individuals of a given species move
between areas which they inhabit at different times of the year. Migratory species
exploit resources and environments cyclically in places that may be unsustainable or
unsuitable for continuous use. To complete their annual (or in some cases multi-
annual) cycles, migratory species need all the different areas through which they
pass, (of all the links in the chain, so to speak) to remain available. To conserve
species whose movements regularly cross-national borders, international co-
operation is therefore of vital importance. Threats in any part of an annual cycle can
affect a large part of the entire population of a migratory species, and therefore
environmental management actions for migrants need to be co-ordinated across
habitat types, seasons, and jurisdictions.
• KEY POINTS
• The parties to the convention acknowledge the importance of conserving migratory species, and the need to
pay special attention to species whose conservation status* is unfavourable.
• To avoid any migratory species becoming endangered*, the parties must aim to:
promote, cooperate in or support research relating to migratory species; and
conclude agreements covering the conservation and management of migratory species listed in Appendix II.
• To protect endangered migratory species, the parties to the convention will aim to:
provide immediate protection for migratory species included in Appendix I;
conserve or restore the habitats of endangered species;
• prevent, remove, compensate for or minimise the adverse effects of activities or obstacles that impede the
migration of the species; and
• prevent, reduce or control factors that are endangering or are likely to further endanger the species, as far
as feasible and appropriate.
• Range countries of migratory species must prohibit the taking of animals belonging to species listed in
Appendix I, with certain exceptions, such as taking for scientific purposes, or to enhance the breeding or survival
of the species. These exceptions must be precise as to content and limited in place and time, and should not
operate to the disadvantage of the species.
• The conservation and management of the species listed in Appendix II may require international agreements.
• Guidelines for agreements:

• restore or maintain the migratory species concerned;

• cover the whole of the range of the migratory species concerned;
• be open to accession by all range countries, whether or not they are parties to
the Convention;
• where feasible, concern several species.

• Each agreement must contain the following information:

• the name of the migratory species concerned;

• its range and migration route;
• measures for implementing the agreement;
• procedures for the settlement of disputes;
• designation of the authority concerned with the implementation of the
agreement.
• Agreements may also provide for:

• research into the species;

• the exchange of information on the migratory species;
• the restoration or maintenance of a network of suitable habitats for the
conservation of the species;
• periodic review of the conservation status of the species;
• emergency procedures whereby conservation action would be rapidly
strengthened.

• A different type of agreements are those under Article IV (4) of the Convention.
These are not restricted to species listed in Appendix II of the Convention, and may
be concluded for any population or any geographically separate part of the
population of any species or lower taxon of wild animals, whose members
periodically cross one or more national jurisdictional boundaries.
• The Conference of the Parties is the decision-making body of the convention. It
reviews the implementation of the convention and can adopt recommendations.
• The convention, and its Appendices I and II, can be amended.
Article XIII Settlement of Disputes

•1. Any dispute which may arise between two or more Parties with
respect to the interpretation or application of the provisions of this
Convention shall be subject to negotiation between the Parties
involved in the dispute.
•2. If the dispute cannot be resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of
this Article, the Parties may, by mutual consent, submit the dispute to
arbitration, in particular that of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at
The Hague, and the Parties submitting the dispute shall be bound by
the arbitral decision.”
• Annihilation of Wildlife by Human Activities

• According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund, growing consumption of

food and other resources by humans, natural habitat loss, developmental
activities like dam, etc. have caused a serious decline in animal population.
• This has also begun the Sixth Mass Extinction (biological annihilation of
wildlife due to humans).
• According to the Living Planet Index, nature will take around 5-7 million years
to recover, even if the destruction stops now. Since 1970-2014, 60% of animal
populations have been wiped out due to human activities.
 CMS- COP 13

• The Logo of COP 13 was inspired by ‘Kolam’- a traditional art form Southern India used to
depict key migratory species in India like Amur Falcon, and Marine Turtles.
• It highlighted the importance of ecological connectivity (unimpeded movement of species
and flow of natural processes) to better protect migratory wildlife and their habitats.
• CMS has focused on the connectivity concept to be integrated into the new Global
Biodiversity Framework (which will be adopted in 2021 in China).
• Also, countries can integrate biodiversity and migratory species considerations with their
national energy and climate policy actions.
•Cop 27 – nov 2022- 198 countries- In egypt
•A third of Pakistan's flooded, Europe's hottest summer in 500 years, Philippines hammered,
Cuba in blackout and hurricane Ian in the us serving as a reminder that no country is immune to
climate crisis.
•Cop 26 culminated the glasgow climate pact.
• Some of the world's most endangered animals are-
Javan Rhinos, Amur Leopard, Sunda Island Tiger, Mountain Gorillas, Tapanuli Orangutan,
Yangtze Finless Porpoise, Black Rhinos, African Forest Elephant.
•The migratory monarch butterfly is the newest member of the endangered species list - 2022
• The mascot for CMS COP-13 was ‘Gibi – The Great Indian Bustard’. It is a
critically endangered species.
• Among the 2022 agendas, is innovation and clean technologies as well as the
centrality of water and agriculture to the climate crisis.
• India and the CMS
• India has been a party to the Convention since 1983.
• India has signed a non-legally binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with CMS on conservation and management of Siberian Cranes (1998), Marine
Turtles (2007), Dugongs (2008), and Raptors (2016).
• With 2.4% of the world’s land area, India contributes to around 8% of the
known global biodiversity.
• Indian subcontinent is a part of a significant bird flyway network, i.e, Central Asian
Flyway that covers areas between the Arctic and Indian Oceans with at least 279
populations of 182 migratory waterbird species (including 29 globally threatened
species).
• India also provides temporary shelter to several migratory species including
Amur Falcons, Bar-headed Geese, Black-necked Cranes, Marine Turtles,
Dugongs, Humpback Whales, etc.
• National Level Initiatives
• India has launched the National Action Plan for the conservation of migratory
species along the Central Asian Flyway.
• India also announced:
• Establishment of an institutional facility for undertaking research, assessments and
capacity development through a common platform,
• Conservation of marine turtles- by launching its Marine Turtle Policy and Marine
Stranding Management Policy, by 2020,
• Reduction of pollution from micro-plastic and single-use plastic,
• Transboundary protected areas for conservation of species like Tigers, Asian elephants,
Snow Leopard, the Asiatic Lion, the one-horned rhinoceros, and the Great Indian
Bustard, and
• Sustainable infrastructure development like Linear Infrastructure Policy Guidelines to
tailor development in ecologically fragile areas.