 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second meeting
of signatories to the Great Bustard agreement
sets the scene for conservation action for
the heaviest flying bird on earth |
|
Feodosia/Ukraine, 19 November 2008 – Current
temperatures in southern Ukraine are milder
than usual this year and thus the arrival of
the thousands of Great Bustards that are commonly
seen on the Crimean peninsula at this time appears
to be delayed. Climatic effects and their impact
on migratory birds featured strongly at the
Scientific Symposium and the Second meeting
of Signatories States to the CMS Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation and
Management of the Middle-European Population
of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda).
(Read
on)
|
International Action
Plan for the Lesser White-fronted Goose sets
stage for broader Eurasian cooperation along
the species’ flyway |
|
Bonn, 10 November 2008 - The recently adopted
“International Single Species Action Plan
for the Conservation of the Lesser White-fronted
Goose (Western Palearctic Population)”
provides a framework for coordinated international
action to conserve this threatened species across
its full migratory range spanning Europe and
parts of Asia.
Adopted at the Fourth Meeting of the Parties
to the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird
Agreement in Antananarivo, Madagascar, the plan
sets the stage for strengthened cooperative
conservation action between 22 Eurasian countries
in which this species regularly occurs.
(Read
on)
|
Technical meeting
on saiga antelope conservation in Kazakhstan:
a vital step to save this flagship species
of the Eurasian steppes |
|
Scientists, conservationists and representatives
from implementing bodies came together in Almaty
from 29th to 31st October 2008 to assess the
status of the medium-term work programme 2007-2011
of the Saiga Antelope Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU), which came into force in 2006. A workshop
assessed how individual saiga populations are
currently being monitored, what optimal methodology
should be used and how such methods could be
practically implemented. The meeting and forthcoming
report on MoU administration will pave the way
for the second Meeting of Signatories. The joint
CITES-CMS activity is envisaged to take place
in 2009.
(Read
on)
|
CMS signs agreement
to collaborate with Global Biodiversity Information
Facility (GBIF) |
|
Bonn, 30 October: GBIF and
the Convention on Migratory Species agreed to
work together to develop and share biodiversity
data on migratory species. The purpose of the
signed Memorandum of Cooperation is to facilitate
the access to the Global Registry on Migratory
Species, GROMS database (http://www.groms.de/
) by GBIF as well as to GBIF primary data by
the CMS constituency. GROMS contains scientific
information on migratory species, their ranges
and maps of migration routes, seasonal distribution
and populations.
Read
on:
|
Regional cooperation
enhanced at Mediterranean Conference on Marine
Turtles |
|
Field biologists, conservationists, government
administrators, managers of protected areas
from all Mediterranean countries attended the
Third Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles
in Hamammet, Tunisia 20-23 October to discuss
biology and conservation of marine turtles in
this region.
Scientists presented the most recent scientific
findings and developments in sea turtle research,
management, and conservation aspects in the
Mediterranean region. Thematic sessions focused
on anatomy, physiology and health, nesting beaches,
marine areas, distribution and population, conservation
tools and strategies.
(Read
on)
|
UNEP/CMS backed
agreement to protect migratory birds
of prey in Africa and Eurasia |
|
Bonn / Abu Dhabi, 23 October 2008 - A meeting
covered by the UN and the Government of Abu
Dhabi, UAE yesterday agreed a new agreement
and action plan. 28 countries signed the Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU), led by the Minister
of Abu Dhabi, H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad,
Minister of Environment and Water at an international
meeting in Abu Dhabi, hosted by the United Arab
Emirates. It will enter into force on 1 November.
Read
full Press Release [English]
|
African Initiative
gives boost to waterbird conservation in Africa |
|
23 October 2008 - the decision to increase international
efforts to conserve waterbirds and their habitats
in Africa was made by government representatives
from 80 African, Asian and European countries
attending the Fourth Meeting of the Parties
to AEWA (MOP4) in Antananarivo, Madagascar,
15-19 September 2008.
At the meeting delegates adopted, among others,
AEWA Resolution 4.9 on the Initiative for the
Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and their
Habitats in Africa, which calls for the mobilization
of resources to support the new initiative aimed
at building capacity for and strengthening the
coordination of the conservation of waterbirds
and their habitats in Africa. Read the full
press release:
Read
full Press Release [ english
|
français
]
|
Grassland Birds
MOU Meeting in Brazil |
|
Foz do Iguazu, Brazil 10 October 16,
2008: The first Regional Workshop “MoU
for Grassland Birds. Research, Management and
Conservation Priorities towards an Action Plan”
took place in Foz do Iguazú, Brazil,
between the 6th and 10th October of 2008.
The workshop was
organized by the Secretariat of UNEP/ CMS in
collaboration with the Chico Mendes Institute
of Brazil and the generous contribution of the
government of Spain.
The objectives
were the promotion of the implementation of
the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation
of Grassland Birds of South America, signed
by the Range States of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay
and Uruguay. A draft of the Action Plan was
produced and currently is circulating among
the governmental delegates and stakeholders
to prepare a final version to discuss during
the next Conference of the Parties in Rome.
(Read
on)
|
IMO Sends Positive
Signals for Cetaceans |
|
The 58th Session of the Marine Environment Protection
Committee (MEPC 58) of the International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) was held on 6-10 October
2008 in the IMO headquarters in London, UK.
1) The development
of a guidance document for minimising the risk
of ship strikes with cetaceans.
(Read
on)
|
Upcoming Meeting
to Conclude Agreement on Migratory Birds of
Prey in Africa and Eurasia |
|
The United Arab
Emirates will co-organise the second meeting
for migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia
in Abu Dhabi from 20 – 22 of October 2008.
Representatives of range states, scientists
and NGOs will come together to negotiate the
final texts of the agreement and the Action
Plan for the conservation of birds of prey.
The Action Plan
will contain sustainable measures to help to
conserve African-Eurasian migratory birds of
prey, establish a favourable conservation status
and address threats to the populations.
Government representatives and supporting organisations
will discuss the implementation of the Action
Plan as well as the structure and location of
the coordination unit of this international
instrument. The preparatory meeting was held
in Loch Lomond, United Kingdom, in October 2007.
|
Report of the CMS
Thesis Award Jury published |
|
 Bonn,
15 October 2008: The Report of the
CMS Thesis Award jury has been published.
National Geographic
Deutschland, Deutsche Lufthansa, Zoological
Research Museum Koenig and CMS announce the
2008 winner of the UNEP/CMS Thesis Award on
Migratory Species Conservation.
The jury (pictured)
chose the thesis submitted by Dr Samantha Petersen
of South Africa entitled ‘Understanding
and Mitigating Vulnerable Bycatch in southern
African Trawl and Longline Fisheries’ from
among 32 entries from 18 countries.
(Read
on)
Click
here to read the Jury's report
|
Second Edition
of CMS Encyclopaedia Available On-Line |
|
 Bonn,
9 October 2008: The second edition
of the CMS Family Guide is now available online.
The encyclopaedia, which contains over 100 information
sheets, has undergone a thorough review and
has been updated to take account of the growth
of Convention, the negotiation of new agreements
and other developments. A printed version of
the new edition will be available at the CMS
COP in Rome in December.
Read
on
click
here for the Family Guide |
Convention on Migratory
Species declares 2009 Year of the Gorilla |
|
 Bonn,
8 October 2008: The Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
(UNEP/CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention,
will declare 2009 the Year of the Gorilla (YoG)
on December 1st at its ninth Conference of Parties
in Rome. Partners in this campaign will be the
Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP), in
cooperation with UNEP and UNESCO, and the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The
Year of the Gorilla is part of the UN Decade
of Education for Sustainable Development.
Press
Release in English|
French
| German
|
New MoU for the
Conservation of Small Cetaceans and Manatees
in Western Africa signed in Togo |
|
 Bonn,
6 October 2008: CMS has acquired a
new member of its family of regional species
agreements – an MoU to conserve small
whales and manatees in western Africa.
The second inter-governmental meeting on Western
African and Macaronesian aquatic mammals, titled
“WATCH – Western African Talks on
Cetaceans and their Habitats”, was hosted
by the Ministry of Environment of Togo in Lomé,
Togo on 2-3 of October. 22 of the 29 Range States
were represented at the meeting, which had almost
50 participants, including scientific advisors
and members of the CMS staff.
(Read
on)
Small
cetacean species recorded in Macaronesia
Press Release in English| German
|
|
|
|
|
|
