One in 5 migratory species at risk of extinction: UN data

One in five species that migrate are threatened with extinction and a substantial proportion of them -44% - is undergoing population decline, United Nations' first State of the World's Migratory Species report has said.

- Jayashree Nandi

The UN's Convention on Migratory Species covers around 1,189 species, including terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory animals and their fates are linked inevitably to the delicate ecological balances, at present being upset by human activity and the climate crisis.

When considering the appendices under the Convention on Migratory Species separately, 82% of appendix I speciesthese are defined as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range are threatened with extinction and 76% have a declining population.

Around 18% of appendix II species (not as endangered as appendix 1) are globally threatened, with almost half (42%) showing decreasing population trends. The current situation and trajectory of migratory fish is of particular concern, with nearly all (97%) listed fish species threatened with extinction, the report has flagged.

The report has cautioned that habitat fragmentation caused by dams in river systems is one of the most significant pressures facing freshwater migratory fish, including in India. Only 37% of the world's long rivers (>1,000 km) have high levels of connectivity over their entire length, while the rest have dams and other artificial river infrastructure.