BRONX, NY, February 27, 2026—As governments prepare to gather in Brazil for the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS CoP15), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today called on Parties to adopt strong, science-based decisions to reverse the accelerating decline of migratory species worldwide.

Read WCS CMS CoP15 Policy Documents HERE in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

The proportion of CMS-listed species with a decreasing population trend now stands at 49 percent, up from the 44 percent reported at CoP14 in 2024, based on IUCN Red List data. This change may reflect improved information on population trends, rather than sudden declines in populations, but the situation is still alarming. 

CMS CoP15 will take place March 23–29, 2026, in Campo Grande, Brazil, bringing together governments to consider a wide range of proposals affecting migratory species across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. Decisions taken at the meeting will have far-reaching implications for biodiversity conservation, ecological connectivity, and sustainable development.

“Migratory species are among the most visible indicators of ecological integrity—and among the most vulnerable,” said Susan Lieberman, Vice President for International Policy at WCS and the head of the WCS delegation at the Brazil meeting. “From unsustainable and illegal take to bycatch, habitat fragmentation, pollution, and emerging threats such as deep-sea mining, the pressures facing migratory species are intensifying. CMS Party governments have a critical opportunity at this meeting to act decisively, using the best available science, to halt and reverse these trends.”

Key agenda items for WCS at the upcoming global meeting include the implementation of the Samarkand Strategic Plan for Migratory Species 2024–2032; proposals to strengthen protections for threatened migratory species; and actions to address cross-cutting threats such as illegal and unsustainable take, fisheries bycatch, anthropogenic noise, marine pollution, and the loss of ecological connectivity.  

Under CMS, species may be listed on Appendix I and/or Appendix II. Appendix I provides the highest level of protection for migratory species in danger of extinction and requires Parties to strictly protect the species, prohibit taking, conserve habitat, and remove barriers to migration. Appendix II promotes international cooperation for species with an unfavorable conservation status or those that would significantly benefit from coordinated action among range States.

At CMS CoP15, WCS’s focus will include the following proposals:

  • Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) for inclusion on Appendix I and II (see Proposal 30.2.2)
  • Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) for inclusion on Appendix I and II (see Proposal 30.2.3)
  • Pelagic, bigeye, and common thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus, A. superciliosus, A. vulpinus) for inclusion on Appendix I (see Proposal 30.2.12)
  • Scalloped and great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini, Sphyrna mokarran) for inclusion on Appendix I (see Proposals 30.2.14 and 30.2.15)
  • Spotted sorubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), a South American freshwater catfish, for inclusion on Appendix II (see Proposal 30.2.17)

WCS is also supporting proposals to protect the Patagonian narrownose smoothhound and angular angelshark,  among other species, as well as the multi-species Action Plan for Amazonian migratory catfish, reflecting the organization’s strong scientific engagement on migratory sharks and freshwater species.

WCS emphasizes the importance of aligning CMS implementation with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), particularly in advancing targets related to protected and conserved areas, stopping illegal and unsustainable use, species conservation, connectivity, and the protection and restoration of ecosystems essential to migratory species.

“Migratory animals don’t recognize national borders, and neither can conservation,” said Joe Walston, Executive Vice President of WCS Global Programs. “From jaguars moving across the Americas to sharks traversing entire ocean basins, protecting migratory species depends on coordinated action among countries. CMS provides a vital platform for that cooperation—but only if commitments made on paper are translated into real, enforceable action on the ground and in the water.”

WCS will also host and participate in several side events during CMS CoP15, highlighting science-based conservation solutions and the importance of international collaboration to safeguard migratory species. These include side events on conservation threats and solutions for sharks, jaguars, and migratory catfish.

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