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Lions, leopards, giraffes, and chimpanzees along with a variety of sharks were added on a list for extra protection at a UN wildlife conference in the Philippines on Saturday.
The UN's Conservation of Migratory Species, CMS, announced ramping up conservation efforts for nearly 34 endangered species, including nearly 10 types of vultures.
"Poor coordination and a lack of cooperation between countries can mean that the conservation of migratory species is neglected," Matt Collis, head of the delegation for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said in a statement.
Also known as the Bonn Convention, the treaty comprises nearly 120 countries, that "collectively endorsed actions on the conservation of a wide range of migratory species, many of which are near-extinct," according to the official statement. Delegates from nearly 91 countries attended the conference.
"The conference in Manila has been a real game-changer for the convention. An intensive week of negotiations have resulted in a stronger commitment by countries to step up their efforts to conserve the planet's migratory wildlife," Bradnee Chambers, CMS executive secretary, said in an official statement.
Most of the listed animals are migratory animals. Chambers said that even makes it harder to track and monitor them since they cross borders.
"If the species is moving around all of these countries, everybody has to pitch in," he said, at the week-long conference.
Widespread over-fishing has severely impacted the whale population, putting a wide variety of sharks on the list. Collis said nearly 20 million blue sharks are caught each year as part of industrial fishing operations. The government representatives have agreed to increase pressure on these industrial fisheries to protect marine life.
According to experts, fewer than 90,000 giraffes are left in the wild in Africa and are in need of immediate conservation. While Chimpanzees have faced nearly a 50 percent drop over three generations and with rising deforestation, they are also suffering from rapid habitat loss.
The delegations also agreed to work on issues such as marine debris, noise pollution, reduce the impact of climate change on migratory species and increase use of renewable energy.
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