6 November 2014: Under the auspices of Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has launched the publication ‘Central Asian Mammals Initiative: Saving the Last Migrations.’ CAMI will be introduced to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to CMS on Friday, 7 November.

The publication provides an overview of threats to large mammals and their migrations and features conservation solutions. During the launch event, moderated by Christiane Roettger, CMS, Reinhard Schnidrig, Federal Office of the Environment FOEN, Switzerland, highlighted that Central Asia is one of the world’s last remaining hotspots of large ungulate migrations because of its vast steppe, desert and mountain ecosystems, which are indispensable for wildlife and provide essential ecosystem services.

Tatjana Rosen Michel, who authored the report together with Christiane Roettger, highlighted that these migrations are in peril as poaching, illegal trade, habitat loss, infrastructure development and barriers to migration, as well as disease, and climate change are challenging their very existence. Askar Davletbakov, National Academy of Sciences, Kyrgyzstan, described the work on argali sheep in Kyrgyzstan. Abdusattor Saidov, Academy of Sciences, Tajikistan, highlighted the work done on the Buhkara deer. Argali sheep and Bukhara deer are two of the 15 species covered by the CAMI. Finally, Dana Yermolyonok, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), described work supporting wildlife management and sustainable use in Central Asia.

CAMI was developed under CMS to provide a strategic framework for the conservation of migratory mammals in the region. [IISD RS Coverage of CMS COP11] [CMS Newsroom] [Publication: Central Asian Mammals Initiative: Saving the Last Migrations]