Protected areas and global conservation of migratory birds
- James Watson
- Apr 12, 2015
- 1 min read
Runge, C. A., Watson, J.E.M , Butchart, S., Hanson, J. O., Possingham, H.P., and R. A. Fuller (2015). Protected areas and global conservation of migratory birds. Science, 350: 1255 – 1258.
In this paper we looked at how well protected areas cover the distributions of migratory birds, taking into account their need for protection in their breeding grounds, non-breeding grounds and the stop-over sites in between.
We discovered that just 9% of 1451 migratory birds are adequately covered by protected areas across all stages of their annual cycle, in comparison with 45% of non-migratory birds. Our results indicate that global efforts toward coordinated conservation planning for migrants are yet to bear fruit.
The current expansion of protected areas to meet CBD targets is a great opportunity to fill in key gaps for migratory species, but better-targeted investment and enhanced coordination among countries will be essential to preserve the incredible migratory journeys that have amazed people for generations.
Scientific American did a nice info-graphic.