Protect the migration

A line on our map

We divide land and water into jurisdictions, ownership and permitted uses. An animal following a seasonal route encounters the consequences of those divisions without being able to read them. A protected destination is not enough if the journey becomes impassable.

The Convention on Migratory Species’ 2026 interim report examines changing conservation status, important habitats and efforts to map migratory routes. Its account highlights the interacting pressures animals can meet in different places along one journey.

Look for the missing connection

CMS discusses infrastructure that can obstruct movement, including barriers in rivers and pressures on coastal habitats. The practical question is specific: which species uses which route, at what time, and where does the difficulty occur?

A corridor should therefore be more than a green stripe in a proposal. Ask what evidence supports its location, whether animals can use it, and how people nearby will be involved. Measures suited to one species or setting may not suit another.

Conservation needs maintenance as well as designation. A route can deteriorate, a crossing can become unusable or an agreed arrangement can lapse. The story should include who is responsible after the announcement.

Room to live is room to move

A useful contribution might document a restoration project, a local wildlife crossing or a community protecting a seasonal habitat. Identify the project and its sources rather than presenting an attractive landscape as proof of success.

Protect sensitive wildlife locations when publishing information. An observation can help conservation without telling every viewer exactly where a vulnerable animal can be found.

Migration reminds us that a habitat is not always one place. It can be a relationship between places, sustained over time. Giving an animal room to live may mean keeping the next part of its journey possible.