CMS — Convention on Migratory Species

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention (after the German city where it was adopted in 1979), is the only global and UN-administered treaty dedicated exclusively to the conservation of migratory animals and their habitats across international borders. It came into force in 1983 and operates under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The CMS secretariat is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. As of 2026, over 135 countries are parties to the convention. The Convention works through two Appendices: Appendix I lists endangered migratory species, for which parties must grant strict protection and prohibit taking; Appendix II lists species with unfavourable conservation status that would benefit from international agreements. Countries where a species exists — whether as a breeding ground, wintering site, or passage route — are called 'Range States' and carry specific obligations. The Conference of Parties (COP) meets every three years and is the supreme decision-making body; COP15 was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in 2026. India is a range state for numerous globally significant migratory species, including the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Amur Falcon, Bar-headed Goose, Snow Leopard, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, and various shark and ray species. The Great Indian Bustard — critically endangered with fewer than 150 individuals remaining — is listed on Appendix I of CMS and is at the centre of a major legal controversy in India involving the Supreme Court's order to underground power lines in Rajasthan and Gujarat to prevent electrocution deaths. The Amur Falcon, a small raptor that migrates from Siberia to Africa via Northeast India, has become a celebrated conservation success story in Nagaland following community-based hunting bans.

• 1 Full name: Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals; also called the Bonn Convention (1979, entered into force 1983)
• 2 Administered by: UNEP; Secretariat in Bonn, Germany; 135+ parties as of 2026
• 3 COP15: Held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 2026 — decisions on new listings and international action plans
• 4 Appendix I: Endangered migratory species — parties must prohibit taking, conserve and restore habitat, prevent obstacles to migration
• 5 Appendix II: Species needing international cooperation — parties encouraged to conclude Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU)
• 6 India as Range State: Obligations include habitat conservation, removal of migration barriers, anti-poaching measures, data sharing — for GIB, Amur Falcon, Snow Leopard, Sea Turtles, and more
• 7 Great Indian Bustard: Appendix I listed; fewer than 150 left; Supreme Court ordered power line undergrounding in Rajasthan/Gujarat (2024); 2026 modified orders balancing renewable energy needs
• 8 Amur Falcon: Migrates from Siberia to Africa via Nagaland — community-led hunting ban turned it into conservation success; Appendix II listed
• 9 CMS vs CITES: CMS = protection of migratory animals across borders (habitat, movement); CITES = regulation of international trade in wildlife; both are UPSC favourites — do not confuse
• 10 CMS MoUs signed by India: Siberian Crane, Marine Turtles, Dugong, Sharks, Snow Leopard (GSLEP is a parallel programme), Central Asian Flyway — India is also a signatory to the Central Asian Flyway initiative under CMS

The Great Indian Bustard's migration between Rajasthan and parts of Pakistan makes it a CMS Appendix I species requiring cross-border protection. In India, the Supreme Court's 2024 order mandating underground power lines in its habitat zone was partly modified in 2026 to accommodate solar energy projects, illustrating how CMS obligations intersect with domestic energy policy, judicial directions, and wildlife law (Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) — a classic multi-dimensional UPSC Mains scenario.