Since the first State of the World’s Migratory Species report in 2024, the proportion of imperiled CMS-listed species has risen from 44% to 49%, highlighting an alarming trend over just two years.
Migratory animals, from shorebirds to freshwater fish, rely on moving across continents to breed, find food, and escape harsh weather.
Blue wildebeest, for instance, migrate across the Serengeti-Masai Mara Ecosystem in East Africa following seasonal grass growth, while humpback whales travel thousands of miles between tropical breeding grounds and Antarctic feeding areas.
When habitats are lost or fragmented, these natural journeys are disrupted, threatening the survival of entire populations.
The report identifies multiple drivers of decline, including habitat loss, hunting, overfishing, and climate change. Roads, railways, fences, and pipelines often block long-established migration routes, constraining species such as the Mongolian gazelle.
In the Arctic, mining activities and climate change have contributed to dramatic losses of tundra caribou, with some herds shrinking from hundreds of thousands to just a few thousand over decades.
Birds, in particular, are being heavily affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Since 2020, H5N1 has caused mass die-offs, killing tens of thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds, and spreading to more than 500 bird species and over 100 mammals worldwide.
Species impacted include Peruvian pelicans, hooded cranes, African penguins, and red-crowned cranes, with Australia remaining largely unaffected. The virus, combined with habitat loss, has intensified the decline of many avian species.
Despite these challenges, there are some conservation successes. The reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx in Chad has increased its population to 575, and saiga antelope numbers have rebounded after disease outbreaks.
Mapping migration routes and creating safe corridors remain critical. Protected areas along the Serengeti-Masai Mara Ecosystem Corridor, for example, allow up to 2.5 million herbivores, including wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles, to migrate safely over vast distances.
CMS Executive Secretary Amy Fraenkel emphasizes the need for cross-border habitat protection, especially for birds and ocean species, which require networks of safe areas rather than single contiguous spaces.
Ahead of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP15), 42 new migratory species are being proposed for CMS listing, the largest number ever, to spur urgent action.
“We know what needs to be done, and we look forward to galvanizing action by governments and other stakeholders to protect, conserve and save these species. There is no time to wait,” said Susan Lieberman, vice president of international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society.
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