In News:

• Representatives from several Central Asian countries — including India — have endorsed a six-year work programme (2021–2026) under the Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) to identify and conserve priority transboundary regions crucial for the survival of 17 iconic mammal species across the region.
• The meeting was hosted by Uzbekistan, under its presidency of the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

About the Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI)

• Launched: 2014, during CMS COP11 (Quito, Ecuador).
• Objective: To halt and reverse the population decline of migratory mammals across 14 Central Asian countries, through coordinated conservation action.
• Framework: Provides a regional platform for cooperation among Range States to address shared threats such as habitat loss, poaching, migration barriers, and climate change.

Key Features

• Species Covered (17 total):Argali sheep, Asiatic cheetah, Asiatic wild ass, Bukhara deer, Eurasian lynx, Gobi bear, Goitered gazelle, Kiang, Mongolian gazelle, Pallas’s cat, Persian leopard, Przewalski’s horse, Saiga antelope, Snow leopard, Urial, Wild camel, and Wild yak.
• Range States Involved:Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; with Iran and the Russian Federation participating online.
• Collaborating Organizations: Over 15 conservation institutions, including IUCN, government agencies, and NGOs, are supporting the work programme’s implementation.
• Current Programme of Work: Adopted for 2021–2026, focuses on ecosystem-based conservation, improved connectivity, and data-sharing between range states.

Recent Meeting Outcomes

• Countries reaffirmed commitment to joint action for migratory mammal conservation, emphasizing that species conservation transcends national borders.
• Success stories shared included recovery trends in Saiga antelope, Bukhara deer, and Persian leopard populations.
• Delegates discussed persistent challenges such as fragmented habitats, climate change impacts, illegal hunting, and limited cross-border coordination.
• Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology Aziz Abdukhakimov highlighted the importance of a unified regional approach, stating that “these species know no borders, and neither should our conservation efforts.”

About the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)

• Also known as: Bonn Convention.
• Established: 1979 in Bonn, Germany.
• Under the Aegis of: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Mandate: To promote the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats worldwide.
• Nature: The only global and UN-based intergovernmental treaty exclusively focused on migratory species conservation.
• Instruments:
  • Legally binding Agreements
  • Non-binding Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)
• Decision-making Body:Conference of the Parties (COP).
• Next Milestone:CMS COP15 will be held in Brazil (March 23–29, 2026), where the CAMI resolution will be reviewed and updated.