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Animal diplomacy without borders
24.11.2011 10:38 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
About 10,000 bird and animal species are migratory species. They know no borders or visas, yet their life becomes increasingly complicated by man-related activities. With poaching still rampant in many parts of the world, the diversity of wildlife species is in jeopardy. The issue is being addressed at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is under way in Bergen, Norway.
For many migratory species, the traditional migration routes have been lost forever. Automobile roads, railways, river dams, power supply lines and other transport and industrial facilities created insurmountable obstacles for animals. Sustainable nature conservation projects may help rectify the damage. This is precisely what the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wide Animals, which took effect in 1983, has been concerned with. Alexei Vaisman, a spokesman for the World Wildlife Fund, explains:
«The migratory species include both rare and fairly numerous species of birds and animals. For example, ducks exist in high numbers, but that does not mean that they needn’t be protected during migration or at wintering grounds where they are extremely vulnerable. They are threatened by habitat loss due to bog and pond draining, pesticide contamination or other farming activities. The transformation of habitats is a terrible threat to ducks. They will simply have nowhere to winter.»
Some work is already under way to improve the situation. A ten-year program to preserve a total of seven million hectares of bogs in China, Iran, Kazakhstan and Russia has not only raised chances for saving the crane species from extinction, but also replenished fresh water reserves and boosted fresh water fish populations. Or take polar bears. Their global population now approximates 20,000 animals and their habitats span the Arctic coast and islands of five Arctic countries Denmark, Canada, Norway, Russia and the United States. But the waste products of human activities coupled with global warming have a devastating effect on these animals, which prompted the Arctic «five» to sign an agreement on the conservation of polar bears. It prohibits bear hunting from aircraft or motor boats.
Russia has an array of bilateral migratory species conservation agreements with other countries, including with Japan, China, Korea and India.
As for the Bonn convention, it now unites more than 100 countries. Russia has an observer status in it so far but will soon join as a full-fledged member.
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