International protection for Great Indian Bustard, Bengal Florican and Asian Elephant

News: Great Indian Bustard, Asian Elephant and Bengal Florican have been classified as “endangered migratory species” by UN’s Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species

Facts:

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) or the Bonn Convention

  • It is an intergovernmental treaty, concluded under the aegis of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). It acts as a framework convention and encourages its States Parties to conclude global or regional agreements.
  • It was signed in 1979 in Bonn, Germany, and entered into force in 1983
  • Aim: conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats
  • It is the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migration routes.

Appendices of CMS:

  • Appendix I – Threatened Migratory Species
  • Appendix II – Migratory Species requiring international cooperation

Parties to the Convention: 129 parties including India

About Great Indian Bustard, Asian Elephant, and Bengal Florican

SpeciesIUCN StatusWildlife (Protection) Act StatusNote
Great Indian BustardCritically EndangeredSchedule I
Asian ElephantEndangeredSchedule IGoI declared Indian elephant as National Heritage Animal
Bengal FloricanCritically EndangeredSchedule I