India to host 13th COP on wild species conservation; Javadekar says no links between coronavirus, migratory birds

New Delhi, February 10: Viewing to anchor opportunity to showcase country's conservation initiatives for wildlife species, India is set to host 13th Conference of Parties of the convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals, an environmental treaty under the aegis of United Nations Environment Programme. Representatives from 129 Parties and eminent conservationists and international NGOs working in the field of wildlife conservation are expected to attend the COP during 17th to 22nd February at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

 

“This will provide a global platform for deliberations on the conservation and sustainable use of migratory wild animals and their habitat. India has been a Party to the CMS since 1983. The Conference of Parties (COP) is the decision-making organ of this convention", said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar while addressing a press release today.

 

He further said fear psychosis is being created over novel coronavirus and dismissed the suggestion that migratory birds could be the reason behind its spread. "There was no relation between migratory birds and the virus. Let's not create a fear psychosis on the subject. There is no connection of coronavirus with migratory birds. As far as diseases or viruses from birds and animals are concerned, the conference will discuss these issues," he said. 

 

Migratory species are those animals that move from one habitat to another during different times of the year, due to various factors such as food, sunlight, temperature, climate. The movement between habitats, can sometimes exceed thousands of miles for some migratory birds and mammals. A migratory route can involve nesting and also requires the availability of habitats before and after each migration.

 

In order to protect the migratory species throughout their range countries, a Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species, has been in force, under the aegis of UNEP. Also referred to as the Bonn Convention, it provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats and brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.

The convention complements and co-operates with a number of other international organizations, NGOs and partners in the media as well as in the corporate sector. Under this convention, migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I and Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them. Migratory species that need or would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention.

 

India is temporary home to several migratory animals and birds. The important among these include Amur Falcons, Bar headed Gheese, Black necked cranes, Marine turtles, Dugongs, Humpbacked Whales. The Indian sub-continent is also part of the major bird flyway network, i.e, the Central Asian Flyway that covers areas between the Arctic and Indian Oceans, and covers at least 279 populations of 182 migratory water bird species, including 29 globally threatened species. India has also launched the National Action Plan for conservation of migratory species under the Central Asian Flyway.