New UN report shows global decline worsening as governments prepare for critical wildlife summit
Across continents and oceans, billions of wild animals move each year in one of nature’s most extraordinary phenomena: migration. From birds crossing hemispheres to whales traversing entire oceans and fish navigating thousands of kilometers of rivers, migratory species sustain ecosystems and cultures around the world. Yet a new scientific update released ahead of a major United Nations wildlife meeting warns that these remarkable journeys are increasingly at risk.
A new interim report linked to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, a global treaty under the United Nations, shows that the situation for migratory wildlife has worsened in just two years. According to the findings, 49 percent of monitored migratory species populations are now declining, compared to 44 percent reported in the landmark global assessment published in 2024.
At the same time, 24 percent of species listed under the treaty now face extinction globally, up from 22 percent just two years ago.
The new report will be presented to governments at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS COP15), scheduled to take place from 23 to 29 March in Campo Grande, Brazil. The gathering is expected to bring together policymakers, scientists, and conservation leaders to discuss urgent measures to protect migratory wildlife as part of the broader global biodiversity crisis.
Migration: a fragile global phenomenon
Migration is one of the most complex and vital processes in the natural world. Every year, billions of animals move across lands, rivers, oceans, and skies, following ancient routes shaped by evolution and ecological necessity.
These journeys are not simply spectacles of nature. Migratory species play essential roles in maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being. They pollinate plants, disperse seeds, transport nutrients between ecosystems, regulate food webs, control pests, and even help store carbon in forests and oceans.
Many communities and cultures also depend on these animals for their livelihoods and traditions. Coastal fisheries rely on migrating fish stocks, while bird migration sustains tourism and cultural heritage in many regions of the world.
Yet the survival of migratory species depends on something unique: coordinated conservation across borders. Because their journeys often span multiple countries and continents, protecting them requires international cooperation across entire migratory routes.
An updated scientific picture
The new interim report was developed for the Convention on Migratory Species by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) along with scientific partners. It updates the baseline established in the State of the World’s Migratory Species report released in 2024, which represented the first comprehensive global assessment of migratory wildlife.
The update integrates the most recent scientific data, including changes in species conservation status from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, newly documented population trends in scientific literature, and recent research on migratory habitats and routes.
While the report identifies some encouraging developments, the overall trends reveal that pressures on migratory wildlife continue to intensify.
One major finding is that 26 migratory species listed under the treaty have moved into higher extinction-risk categories, including 18 migratory shorebird species. These birds depend on fragile coastal wetlands and intertidal habitats that are increasingly threatened by coastal development, pollution, and climate change.
At the same time, seven species have shown improvements in conservation status, demonstrating that coordinated conservation action can produce results. Among these are the saiga antelope, the scimitar-horned oryx, and the Mediterranean monk seal, species that have benefited from targeted protection programs and international cooperation.
Mapping the pathways of migration
The report also highlights significant advances in the scientific understanding of migration itself. Over the past decade, technological innovations such as satellite tracking, genetic analysis, and global data sharing have enabled scientists to map migratory routes with unprecedented precision.
Several major initiatives are helping fill critical knowledge gaps. These include the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration, which tracks the movements of large land mammals; the Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean (MiCO) system, which maps oceanic migrations of marine animals; and efforts by conservation organizations to identify and map major marine flyways used by seabirds.
These advances are essential for conservation planning because they allow governments and organizations to identify key habitats, migration corridors, and ecological bottlenecks where protection is most urgently needed.
In total, the report notes that 9,372 Key Biodiversity Areas important for migratory species have now been identified worldwide. However, nearly 47 percent of these areas remain outside protected or conserved areas, leaving many critical habitats vulnerable to development and degradation.
Threats across migratory routes
Despite progress in research and conservation tools, the report makes clear that the greatest threats to migratory species remain overexploitation and habitat loss.
Overexploitation includes unsustainable hunting, fishing, and harvesting of wildlife, which continues to pressure many species along their migratory routes. Habitat loss and fragmentation, driven by agriculture, infrastructure development, urbanization, and pollution, further disrupt the ecosystems that migratory animals depend on.
Barriers such as dams, fences, shipping traffic, and artificial lighting can also interfere with migration, making journeys more dangerous or preventing animals from reaching breeding or feeding grounds.
According to Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Migratory Species, the latest findings reinforce the urgency of coordinated action.
“The first global report was a wake-up call,” she said. “This interim update shows that the alarm is still sounding. Some species are responding to concerted conservation action, but too many continue to face mounting pressures across their migratory routes.”
She emphasized that governments must translate scientific evidence into practical policy measures. “We must respond to this evidence with coordinated and effective international action,” she said.
Protecting species at the highest risk
Particular concern surrounds the species listed under CMS Appendix I, which includes animals considered to be in danger of extinction across all or a significant portion of their range.
There are currently 188 species listed in Appendix I, including 28 terrestrial mammals, 23 aquatic mammals, 103 birds, eight reptiles, and 26 fish species.
Countries that host these species during any part of their migration are required under the treaty to provide strict protection. This includes prohibiting hunting or capture, safeguarding and restoring critical habitats, and addressing barriers that impede migration.
To strengthen implementation, governments are expected to consider launching a Global Initiative on Taking of Migratory Species during the upcoming COP15 meeting. The initiative aims to ensure that any harvesting of migratory wildlife is legal, sustainable, and safe, addressing evidence that domestic use poses a greater threat than international trade for many species.
Fraenkel stressed that proactive action is essential. “If we intervene only at the point of crisis, we risk acting too late,” she said. “By strengthening governance, monitoring, legislation and community engagement upstream, we can reduce pressure on these remarkable animals and put them on the path to lasting recovery.”
New risks emerging from the deep sea
In addition to the interim report, governments attending COP15 will review several related studies examining emerging threats to migratory species.
One report assesses the potential impacts of deep-sea mining, a rapidly developing industry targeting mineral deposits thousands of meters below the ocean surface. The study warns that mining activities between 1,000 and 6,000 meters deep could disrupt marine migration through sediment plumes, underwater noise, and habitat damage.
Sediment released during mining operations can interfere with animal navigation and feeding patterns, while wastewater may introduce metal-contaminated particles into marine food webs. The report suggests that almost half of marine mammals covered by the convention could be affected, along with sharks, rays, marine reptiles, seabirds, and numerous fish species.
The hidden migrations of rivers
Another study focuses on migratory freshwater fish, some of which undertake extraordinary journeys through river systems that rival the migrations of birds or whales.
These species face growing pressures from overfishing, pollution, and the fragmentation of rivers by dams and infrastructure. The report identifies 325 additional freshwater fish species that could benefit from inclusion in the Convention on Migratory Species, highlighting the scale of conservation challenges in inland waters.
The decline of migratory fish has already reached alarming levels. The 2024 global report found that migratory fish populations have declined by an average of 90 percent since the 1970s, with nearly all CMS-listed migratory fish species now facing the risk of extinction.
A critical moment for global action
The upcoming COP15 meeting in Brazil represents a key opportunity for governments to address these trends. By bringing together scientific evidence, policy frameworks, and international cooperation, the convention aims to strengthen the protection of migratory wildlife across borders.
The interim report provides governments with the most up-to-date scientific evidence before negotiations begin. It also helps identify priority areas where conservation efforts can have the greatest impact before the next full global assessment scheduled for 2029.
“We have a baseline. We have better tools. And we have growing public awareness,” Fraenkel said.
“The question before governments at COP15 is straightforward: will we match this knowledge with the political will and investment needed to secure the future of the world’s migratory species?”
For migratory animals that connect ecosystems and continents, the answer may determine whether their ancient journeys continue to shape the planet’s living landscapes, or fade into history.
