10 August 2012: An assessment of the gaps and needs of argali conservation, as well as options for promoting argali conservation cooperation under the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), concluded that the threatened argali mountain sheep would benefit greatly from improved transboundary conservation under the Convention.

The argali was listed on CMS Appendix II at the 10th CMS Conference of the Parties (COP 10) in November 2011. With funding from Germany through the Regional Program on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Central Asia of German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the CMS Secretariat in cooperation with GIZ commissioned the study, authored by Tatjana Rosen, to review existing initiatives and conservation activities for argali in Central Asia and, in particular, to analyze the role CMS could play in this regard.

The report concludes that developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and action plan for argali is the most feasible and promising option for pursuing the transboundary conservation of argali. In addition, a CMS instrument or extension of an existing one could help endorse legal reforms in some range countries, which would be beneficial for the species, and stimulate joint monitoring activities and responses to common threats. There is also an opportunity to bridge the divide between conservation and sustainable use, and in that regard to promote and endorse trophy hunting programs designed to ensure the conservation of the species.

The report also recommends that the CMS Secretariat consider funding options for extending the Regional Officer for Central Asia beyond its current term, as well as explore options for basing that position in the region. [CMS News] [Publication: Analyzing Gaps and Options for Enhancing Argali Conservation in Central Asia within the context of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals]