Bonn, 4 March 2011 - Initiated in 2004, the WWF International Smart Gear Competition now takes place for the 5th time. Fishermen, backyard inventors, students and others have been invited to submit entries for the best new fishing gear to reduce bycatch. The competition will be accepting submissions from 1 March to 31 August 2011 and offers prizes of a total value of $US 57,500.

This biennial initiative aims to find innovative ways to make fishing gear more environmentally friendly by reducing the capture of unwanted marine life, typically termed ‘bycatch’. “WWF’s goal with the Smart Gear competition is to inspire innovative ideas for environmentally-friendly fishing gear,” said Dr. Bill Fox, Vice President of Fisheries for WWF-US. “In addition to fishermen losing millions of dollars each year due to bycatch, many other species, including endangered marine life, are unintentionally and needlessly killed by antiquated fishing gear. “This competition identifies real-world solutions so fishermen can fish ‘smarter’ – allowing them to maintain a commercially viable business while helping to maintain ocean health.”

[Read on]

Bonn/Geneva, 4 March 2011 - The Secretariats of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) met via video conference between Bonn, Geneva and Nairobi on 2 March 2011 to review joint achievements to date and to map out their future collaboration. This was the first virtual meeting of the staff of the two secretariats; video conferencing being used to reduce the costs and the carbon footprint of the meeting.

The Secretariats addressed substantive issues dealing with: individual species; harmonization of listings on the appendices and nomenclature; preparation for forthcoming meetings of the governing bodies; and strategic issues related to biodiversity, sustainable development, and the interrelationship with other entities and processes.

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Bonn, 1 March 2011 - Situated at the junction of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, the Republic of Armenia constitutes the extreme limit of various floristic and faunal areas in the Caucasus Eco-region. Despite its relative small size, less than 30,000km2, it displays an extreme diversity of habitats, with 7 different landscapes types, which harbours a rich and unique biodiversity; nearly 3,500 species of vascular plants, 500 mammals species and more than 3,500 bird species can be found within its borders. In addition, Armenia is a key point on the crossroad of main inland migratory routes, with a total of 11 species listed under CMS Appendix I and 93 Appendix II species.

A large range of migratory bird species fly over or breed every year in Armenia including endangered charismatic species such as the Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanii) and the Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus). Besides, numerous migratory mammals regularly cross Armenia’s borders such as the Goitered Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) and the European Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida teniotis).

[Read on]

Geneva, 1 March 2011 - Launched in 1996, the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Awards will be presented for the fifth time at the 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention in Bucharest, Romania in June 2012.

A prize will be presented in each of three categories: "Management", "Wetland Science" and "Education".

For more information regarding the criiteria and procedures for th awards, nopmination forms on previous rounds of the Awrds, please see the Ramsar Convention's website (click here).

Bonn, 25 February 2011 - Twenty-five experts from all regions of the world met in Edinburgh 20-21 February 2011 under the chairmanship of Dr Taej Mundkur, appointed member for Asiatic Fauna of the Scientific Council of CMS. The group was made up of representatives of the CMS Parties, scientific councillors, international organizations and independent experts.

At a global level, 14% of the species under consideration are currently ranked as threatened or near-threatened according to the IUCN Red List and there is increasing evidence of regional declines, although regional and taxonomic differences exist. In the case of waterbirds, the East Asia–Australasia region has the highest proportion of threatened migratory species (20%).

[Read on]

Astana/Bonn, 21 February 2011 – Representatives of wildlife management authorities in Kazakhstan and experts came together 17-18 February in central Kazakhstan to discuss the implementation of the CMS Memoranda of Understanding on the Saiga Antelope (Saiga spp.) and the Bukhara Deer (Cervus elaphus bactrianus). The objectives of the Astana workshop convened by the Committee of Forestry and Hunting of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and the UNEP/CMS Secretariat, was to set up the technical coordination for the Saiga Memorandum (MoU), to agree priority activities for saiga conservation in Kazakhstan and to assess the current status of Bukhara Deer populations.

[Click here for the full press release]

Argentina and Chile conclude agreement to save the largest herbivore of the South Andes from extinction
Bonn, 16 February 2011 - A new conservation instrument was concluded between Argentina and Chile to conserve the South Andean Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), the only large herbivore to inhabit sub-Antarctic Patagonia. The national animal of Chile and “natural monument” in Argentina migrates across the border region between the two countries. Argentina and Chile signed the agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, which is part of the countries’ Specific Protocol on the Conservation of Wildlife, in the margins of the 20th Ibero-American Summit on 4 December 2010. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which listed the species on Appendix I, is the depositary of the agreement.

[Read on]

Bonn, 10 February 2011 - Since their initiation in 1976, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise have supported more than 30 environmental projects affecting over 60 species of rare and endangered plants and animals. On many occasions, Rolex Laureates and Associate Laureates have been supported and guided in their work by IUCN. Laureates have in some cases been members of and even led SSC Specialist Groups.  

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Bonn, 9 February 2011 The Intersessional Process regarding the Future Shape of CMS has entered its third and final phase, when the Intersessional Working Group met for a third and final time in Bonn 3-4 February 2011. Alternative options for the future organization of the Convention to optimise conservation outputs will be submitted by the Intersessional Working Group to COP10, which will take place in Bergen, Norway from 20-25 November 2011.  

[Read on]

On World Wetlands Day 2011, the CMS Family joins the Ramsar Convention in celebrating wetlands and their global importance

Bonn, 2 February 2011 - Wetlands are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on our planet. Throughout the last 40 years Parties to the Ramsar Convention have designated sites which form a global network of important wetlands to conserve ecosystems and their species. Wetlands are an important habitat for an immense variety of species ranging from plants, insects, freshwater fish, amphibians, marine turtles, mammals and birds. During their migration many animals use wetlands as resting, breeding and feeding sites.

Click here to view the anniversary message of Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, CMS Executive Secretary

Bonn, 28 January 2011- The closing date for entries to the UNEP/CMS Thesis Award on Migratory Species Conservation, sponsored by Lufthansa, is 15 April 2011. The award of €10,000 (c. US$ 13,500) will be made at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to CMS (COP10) in Norway in November 2011, in affiliation with the Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK) in Bonn. The Secretariat of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species advertises this award to promote scientific research and conservation of migratory species, as defined by the Convention.

Bonn, 28 janvier 2011 - La date limite de dépot d'inscription pour le Prix de Thèse PNUE /CMS sur la conservation des espèces migratrices, parrainée par Lufthansa, est le 15 avril 2011. Le prix de € 10.000 (c US$13.500) sera proposé à la 10ème Reunión de la Conférence des Parties de la CMS (COP10) en Norvège, en Novembre 2011, en collaboration avec le Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK) à Bonn. Le Secrétariat de la Convention de Bonn sur les espèces migratrices annonce ce prix pour promouvoir la recherche scientifique et la conservation des espèces migratrices, tel que définie par la Convention.

Bonn, 28 de enero de 2011 - Ultima convocatoria para el Premio Tesis PNUMA/CMS sobre Conservación de Especies Migratorias, patrocinado por Lufthansa, está el 15 de abril de 2011. El premio de €10.000 (c. 13.500 dólares de los EE.UU.) se ofrecerá en la 10ª Reunión de la Conferencia de las Partes de la CMS (COP10) en Noruega en noviembre de 2011, en afiliación con la Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK) en Bonn. La Secretaría de la Convención de Bonn sobre Especies Migratorias anuncia este premio para promover la investigación científica y la conservación de especies migratorias, según lo definido por la convención.

Click here to go directly to the Application Form

Bonn, 26 January - The CMS Secretariat has learned with deep regret of another lethal attack on rangers and government soldiers in the Virunga National Park in the Eastern DRC. Three park rangers and five Congolese soldiers were killed when their patrol was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade just inside the park’s perimeter, making this the worst such attack in over a year.

These rangers and soldiers are on the frontline of conservation efforts for gorillas and the numerous other valuable species inhabiting this park, and their efforts and sacrifice cannot be praised enough. Further details of this tragic incident are contained in the attached press release issued by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) [click here].

CMS will hold a technical meeting on gorilla conservation in late March in neighbouring Rwanda. Among other topics, improving the situation of rangers through better monitoring techniques and law enforcement will be on the meeting agenda.

Hannes Jaenicke wins NatureLife Environment Prize

Bonn, 24 January - German actor, film producer and chair of the Friends of CMS Mr. Hannes Jaenicke was awarded the NatureLife Environment Prize 2011 for his commitment towards saving endangered species. The environment foundation Umweltstiftung Nature Life acknowledged Hannes Jaenicke’s role in trying to preserve the world’s last refuges of migratory and other threatened animal species and prevent further unsustainable exploitation. 

[Read on]

By Dr. Merlin D. Tuttle, Jan 20
Were you aware that bats are key pollinators in many parts of the world? Pollination is a vital ecosystem service without which many of our key industries such as agriculture and pharmaceuticals would collapse or incur heavy costs for artificial substitution. TEEB has found that in some estimates, over 75% of the world's crop plants, as well as many plants that are source species for pharmaceuticals, rely on pollination by animal vectors.

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The Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus), which is listed on both CMS Appendices, will benefit from better conservation through an International Single Species Action Plan. The report with current data on distribution, threats and recommended activities to prevent this species from becoming extinct, has been published by the Convention on Migratory Species and BirdLife International.

[Read on]

Bonn, 18 January 2011 - The Gabon-based NGO Conservation Justice, which CMS supports as one of several donors, has facilitated, in close cooperation with Gabonese authorities, what is probably the biggest arrest related to ape poaching yet in Africa.

Thirteen ape heads, 32 ape hands (gorillas and chimpanzees), 12 leopard skins and several elephant tails were confiscated during the operation. Three dealers were arrested and will be brought to justice.

[Read on]

Bonn, 17 January 2011 - Wings over Wetlands (WOW), the largest flyway conservation project of its kind ever undertaken in the African-Eurasian region has come to a successful conclusion.

[Read on]

To read Dr Boere’s statement in full on the WOW website, click here

Bonn, 14 January 2011 - Following a recommendation of the Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) at their conference in October 2010, the UN General Assembly declared 2011 – 2020 the UN-Decade of Biodiversity. By doing so, the United Nations emphasized the ecological, economic, cultural, social and aesthetic dimension of biodiversity and its overall significance for sustainable development.

The UN Decade aims to make a contribution to achieving the revised and updated global biodiversity targets agreed at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention of Biological Diversity. The biodiversity targets and a new strategy take into consideration the ongoing biodiversity loss on a global scale.

[Read on]