Both images © Holger Schulz

the website for the 2016 World Migratory Bird Day is now online and organizers are invited to register their events. The design of this year’s poster (see below) has also been finalized and print copies will be available along with other promotional materials such as postcards and stickers.

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Mostafa Tolba © ISSD

CMS here reproduces a message issued yesterday by Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP following the death of Mostafa Tolba.

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Mostafa Tolba © ISSD

CMS here reproduces a message issued yesterday by Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP following the death of Mostafa Tolba.

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“Nature Conservation in the Countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia – Lessons learned from the transformation process and challenges for the future”

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An abundance of marine wildlife receives protection from fishing by the government of Ecuador.

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The Secretariat would like to draw your attention to the call from the United Nations Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) regarding a short online questionnaire

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WMBD trailer competition - deadline for receipt of entries extended to 3 April

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© UN Bonn / Volker Lannert

This year, the family of United Nations Organizations is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Bonn and yesterday two honoured guests - UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon and German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier - were welcomed to the World Conference Centre (WCCB) to participate in a panel discussion on “20 years of Bonn as a UN city – shaping a sustainable future in the light of volunteering”.

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Zeb Hogan with Giant Mekong Catfish © Suthek Kritsanavari

CMS Conference-Appointed Councillor for Fish and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Nevada-Reno, Dr. Zeb Hogan has spent the last 20 years studying the world’s freshwater ecosystems. He recently gave a presentation at TEDx event to highlight the ecological importance to large fish species in the Mekong river system and the need to save them from extinction.

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H.E. Mr. T.P. Seetharam (center), Ambassador of India to the United Arab Emirates, at a signing ceremony held in the CMS Office - Abu Dhabi, with Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri (right), Executive Director, Terrestrial & Marine Biodiversity Sector, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, and Mr. Nick P. Williams (left), Head of the Coordinating Unit of the Raptors MoU. Photo courtesy of Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.

India has signed today the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU) raising the number of signatories to 56.

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The Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in its capacity as Depositary of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migrator

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The Secretariat would like to draw your attention to a request for feedback concerning MEA National Focal Points' experience of InforMEA, the United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Envir

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Elephants (Loxodonta africana) at waterhole, Etoscha National Park, Namibia © Peter Prokosch

World Wildlife Day, being celebrated on March 3 for the third time – this year under the slogan ‘The Future of Wildlife is in our hands’ – is focusing on the plight of African and Asian elephants, which are being slaughtered in their thousands for their tusks to supply the ivory trade. But other species, such as vultures, are also in serious decline because of human actions

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© javarman/ Shutterstock.com

3 March is World Wildlife Day, a date chosen because it marks the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The theme for this year is “Their Future is in Our Hands” and CMS is organizing a series of events to celebrate the day, to complement other activities, including an International Elephant Film Festival in New York, where CITES Secretary-General, John Scanlon will highlight the plight of African and Asian elephants.

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African lion © Clara Nobbe

A report reviewing lion conservation strategies and prepared for the Convention on Migratory Species has just been published.

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