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Migratory species on the brink of imminent man-made extinction, UN warns

Migratory species on the brink of imminent man-made extinction, UN warns

More than one in five of the 1,189 listed creatures are now at risk, spanning several animal groups, and 44% are experiencing population declines.

Migratory species include some of the most iconic animals on the planet, such as elephants. These elephants are grazing after sand is sprinkled over their bodies at the Kimana Sanctuary in Kimana, Kenya, a mud bath that helps protect them from heat and insect bites. —AFP

A recently released report by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals reveals that human activities are pushing hundreds of migratory species toward extinction. cnn reported.

Female leatherback turtles, known for their extensive travels, face fatal threats such as fishing nets, poaching, pollution and climate-induced changes in sea temperatures.

Leatherback hatchlings head out to sea at sunset on Indonesia's Lhoknga Beach in February 2023. —AFP

The report indicates that more than one in five of the 1,189 listed creatures are now at risk, spanning several animal groups, and 44% are experiencing population declines. The dire state of migratory fish, of which 97% are endangered, is particularly alarming.

A female narwhal surfaces in an area of open ocean surrounded by sea ice near western Greenland. As oceans warm and the annual expansion of sea ice slows, narwhals are threatened by a flash freeze, which could trap them underwater without an open ocean to breathe. —Reuters

The study identifies overexploitation and habitat loss due to human activities as the main threats, fragmenting migratory routes and making complete journeys difficult.

While the population of the iconic humpback whale has increased, after centuries of hunting, the report calls for strong conservation efforts around the world. —AFP

Around 58% of crucial places for migratory species are under unsustainable human pressure. Climate change and pollution exacerbate the situation, affecting migration patterns and habitats, and causing potential consequences such as travel delays and mass strandings.