Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative Workshop in Singapore 11 January 2017BiodiversityConservation of Arctic Flora and FaunaRepublic of Singapore Arctic Council Working Group CAFF (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna) convened a workshop on the Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) East Asian-Australasian Flyway in Singapore, addressing major conservation issues for Arctic-breeding migratory birds in the flyway. Arctic Council Working Group CAFF (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna) hosted 96 experts from 25 countries in an Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) East Asian-Australasian Flyway workshop in Singapore 8-10 January 2017. The workshop addressed two major conservation issues affecting Arctic-breeding migratory birds in the flyway: 1) the conservation of significant sites and habitat for Arctic-breeding shorebirds and 2) unsustainable hunting of migratory birds across the flyway. The workshop was held in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore, the National Parks Board Singapore, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Singapore, and took place at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) is a project designed to improve the status and secure the long-term sustainability of declining Arctic breeding migratory bird populations, many of which are in alarming decline. Recognizing that these species cross international borders, the project also seeks to actively engage Arctic Council Observer states on these issues in their jurisdictions. Quick facts There are approximately 100 breeding pairs of critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpipers left in the wild. They have declined by 90% in the past 30 years and risk extinction. They breed in Russia and travel to Southeast Asia for the winter, passing through the Yellow Sea. Since the early 1990s, red knots have been declining at almost 9% per year, great knots by 4.5% per year, and bar-tailed godwits by about 7% per year in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Many Arctic-breeding bird populations are declining at an unprecedented rate for variety of reasons, including - destruction of coastal wetlands for land reclamation and drainage, - habitat degradation, - trapping/poaching, - unsustainable harvesting, and - climate change. See photos from the event on CAFF’s Flickr site. You can also follow CAFF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Contact Courtney Price CAFF Communications Manager courtney@caff.is