Efficiency analysis of transboundary conservation strategies for migratory species. (Presentiation at the DIVERSITAS Oaxaca conference 2005) Speaker: Dr. Klaus Riede (Alexander Koenig Research Institute and Museum of Zoology, Bonn, Germany). Background and Goal of Study Migratory species are a challenge for conservation, because their movements across national boundaries require efficient coordination of environmental legislation. Legal frameworks are provided by various Multilateral Environmental Agreements, such as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention: 88 member states), or several bi- and trilateral conventions. The efficiency of these agreements is investigated by tracking changes in threat status of migratory species. "Hot spots" of migratory species distributions were identified and correlated with major threats to key habitats. Materials and Methods The Global Register of Migratory Species (www.groms.de) lists 4,400 migratory vertebrate species, together with threat status as given by the IUCN Red List, and their protection status through the Appendices of the Bonn Convention. Using a Geographical Information System (ArcView 3.2: ESRI), digital distribution maps for 1,100 migratory species were merged and intersected, resulting in a grid map of global migratory species diversity. Results and Discussion Several migratory species were upgraded as "Critically Endangered", which is the highest threat category of the IUCN Red List, during the latest assessments. Among those are migratory flagship species such as Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica), or the Giant catfish (Pangasius gigas), listed on Appendix I of the Bonn Convention. They are threatened by illegal hunting, over-exploitation and habitat destruction. Construction of dams interrupts upstream fish migrations, and non-sustainable fishing operations in the high seas threaten oceanodromous fishes. However, only 22 out of 1,886 migratory fish species have hitherto been listed on CMS Appendices. The GIS analysis shows high diversity of migratory species in temperate regions and highly industrialized countries. Conclusion This analysis shows that concentrating conservation efforts on single species or tropical biodiversity hotspots is not sufficient for migratory species. The huge ranges and movements of these species require fundamental changes in agricultural, forestry and fishery practices, which have to be compatible with maintenance of healthy populations of migratory species, many of which are of economical importance.

1. Efficiency analysis of
transboundary conservation
strategies for migratory species.
Klaus Riede
Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut &
Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK)
Adenauerallee 150-164
53113 Bonn, Germany

2. Millions of Animals on the
Move!
• 5 billion passerine birds migrate to wintering grounds in
tropical Africa
• Marine mammals (whales, dolphins, seals) migrate to
marine zones of high productivity for feeding
• nearly 2,000 fish species migrate within oceans or
between fresh- and saltwater (oceanodromous or diadromous)
• the Monarch butterfly is a famous insect migrant

3. Definitions:
• Migration: “the act of moving from one spatial unit to another“ (Baker
1978, p. 23)
• Political definition: the entire population or any geographically separate
part of the population of any
species or lower taxon of wild animals, a significant proportion of whose
members cyclically and predictably cross one or more national
jurisdictional boundaries“ (CMS 1979, Article 1)
• ‘true migration’ : “seasonal movement with return to starting point – the
traveller needs a return ticket”(Dingle 1996)
• GROMS: true migration > 100 km (excl. local migrants)
CMS

4. Global Register of Migratory
Species
Geo-database for Migratory Species:
• 4,344 vertebrate species
• 5,600 references
• 1,300 GIS maps
83 whales and dolphins 39 seals and sirenia
131 bats
45 terrestrial mammals
298
migratory
mammals

5. 2,203 migratory birds
Travellers without Passport

6. 10 reptiles (incl 7 sea turtles)
Chelonia mydas
Green Sea Turtle

7. 1,926 migratory fishes
1,795 Actinopterygii 93 Elasmobranchii
Ganges shark Glyphis gangeticus
19 Petromyzontidae

8. Geo-Database on CD-ROM
http://www.groms.de

9. Ciconia ciconia - White stork
Satellite telemetry data 1991-2003
Migratory species -
connecting ecosystems and disciplines

10. • Elevated diversity of migrants in temperate zones
• Migrants will be lost if conservation is limited to Hot Spots
GIS-Analysis:
Global Distribution of Migrants

11. Number of migratory species in several (890)
ecoregions of the world
Total:
846 migratory species

12. Multilateral Agreements affecting
Migrants
• Benelux Convention on the Hunting and Protection of Birds. Brussels, 1970
• Agreement for the Establishment of a Commission for Controlling the
Desert Locust in North-West Africa. Rome, 1970
• Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl
Habitat. Ramsar (Iran), 1970
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora. Washington, 1973 (CITES)
•Agreement on Conservation of Polar Bears. Oslo, 1973
•Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific. Apia, 1976
•Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
Bonn, 1979 (CMS)

13. Multilateral Agreements especially for
Migrants
• bi- and trilateral agreements such as
Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (USA, Canada); incl
Canada / Mexico / United States Trilateral Committee
• China and Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (CAMBA) and
the Japan and Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (JAMBA)
•Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild
Animals. Bonn, 1979 (CMS)
ASCOBANS, EUROBATS, WADDENSEA Seals
+ 7 MoU (eg Great Bustard, African Turtles)

14. How do we measure efficiency of species
conservation?
Catch data: Hunting, Whaling and Fishery
http://www.erin.utoronto.ca/~w3env100y/env/ENV100/hum/cod.htm
From:
The Collapse of the Canadian Cod Fishery , WebCT Courses at University of Toronto
Canadian Cod (Gadus morhua, North Atlantic pop)s Fishery
Red List: VU; CMS: NL

15. Measuring Efficiency using Red List Data
• Global data (population totals per subspecies (mammals) or species (birds):
International Red List: http://www.redlist.org
•Extinct migrants: total of 8 spp
Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius),
digitised by GROMS, after Grzimek B (1980) From: Natureworks: Extinct North American Species
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep16a.htm

16. International Red List Criteria
EX
EW
CR
EN
VU
DD
NE
threatened

17. Red-Listed Migrants: Summary
Latein Englisch CMS RL2
K
N 2K N 2005
Balaena mysticetus Bowhead whale App I CR 54 1 LR, 1 EN (44 CR)
Camelus bactrianus Bactrian camel App I EN 100 2 CR, 1 VU (90 EN)
Vanellus gregarius Sociable plover App I & II VU 221 2 CR, 2 DD, 12 EN
Saiga tatarica Saiga App II pop LR 166 1 CR, 2 EN, 7 VU (56 LR)
Cervus elaphus Barbary stag App I pop DD 96 (93 DD)
Examples: Critically Endangered in
2005
Year 2000: 647 Red Listed 2000
Year 2005: 683 Red Listed (at least),
but 114 require case-by-case comparisons
(taxonomic inconsistencies, assessment of subspecies)

18. Migratory Catfish (Pangasiidae) in the Mekong River
CMS: App. I
CITES: I
Red List: CR
Pangasius gigas (Pangasianodon gigas)
Courtesy: Zeb Hogan

19. Exploitation of formerly abundant migratory
species:
Tragedy of the Commons
Courtesy: Zeb Hogan

20. Thanks to: ...all members of the GROMS Team, particularly
Eva Gerstner (GIS and Programming)
Birgit Gerkmann (White Stork satellite data)
Bedru Sherefa-Muzein (Data Entry)
Houssein Yamout (GIS consultancy)
all picture providers (as mentioned)
DIVERSITAS (Travel Grant to Klaus Riede)
The GROMS is hosted by the Museum Koenig, under the auspices of the CMS Secretariat,
and with funds from the German Ministry of the Environment