Giant otter and 39 migratory species obtain cross-border protection: key decision at the UN

At the recent summit of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species held in Brazil, delegates from 132 countries approved measures to protect 40 species that cross borders. This decision comes at a critical time for migratory corridors affected by habitat loss and bycatch: its consequences have repercussions on ecosystems and human communities today.

The 15th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) was held in Campo Grande, Brazil, during March, and concluded with the inclusion of twenty marine animals, birds and mammals on the treaty lists.

Among the species incorporated into the CMS are hammerhead sharks (including the great hammerhead), thresher shark, manta rays, giant river lion, jaguar and snowy owl, as well as Amazonian migratory fish and the bird known as Hudsonian godwit. Mammals such as the striped hyena and other species that require protection in several countries were also added.

Nominations were not limited to a symbolic list: participants agreed on specific action plans. These commitments include strategies to reduce bycatch in fisheries, design safe corridors for freshwater fish, and coordinate regional efforts on behalf of the jaguar.

The CMS establishes two key categories: species in Appendix I They receive full protection because they are at risk of extinction and must be safeguarded in all the territories they inhabit; those included in Appendix II They require international cooperation to ensure that their seasonal or reproductive movements are not truncated by political borders.

Delegates recalled that previous processes have yielded measurable results. An example cited at the summit was the concerted actions for four subspecies of giraffe, which in five years reported a population increase from approximately 113,000 to 140,000 individuals, showing that international coordination can give results.

What does this mean in practice?

• Broader legal protections in countries through which the species transit, to avoid hunting, capture or loss of habitat.
• Regional plans to reduce the bycatch of sharks and rays in fishing nets.
• Cross-border cooperation to maintain river and land connectivity—vital for migratory fish and large predators.
• Implementation of the so-called “Concerted Actions”, operational measures with deadlines and goals to restore populations.

Susan Lieberman, Vice President of International Policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society, emphasized in her speech that these additions reflect a global recognition of the urgent need to secure shared landscapes and waterways. For her part, the executive secretary of the CMS, Amy Fraenkel, stressed that scientific evidence supports the decisions and that the challenge now is to transform the agreements into concrete results on the ground.

The Brazilian host, represented by João Paulo Capobianco of the Ministry of the Environment, presented the idea of ​​collective responsibility: protecting migratory species implies investing in a natural heritage that transcends borders and generations, even if it does not belong exclusively to any country.

At the conclusion of the summit, the experts pointed out that decisions alone will not guarantee the recovery of the species; commitments will need to be translated into national laws, financing and effective monitoring mechanisms. Still, the expansion of the CMS portfolio and the approval of new concerted actions represent tangible progress in the international governance of migratory wildlife.

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Alonso Delgado covers the international news with rigor. You’ll find accurate and relevant reporting on major global events, from political crises to diplomatic breakthroughs.