Costa Rica has become the 103 rd country to support the U.N. Convention on Migratory Species – a global treaty that promotes the conservation, sustainability and research of migratory species, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

The intergovernmental treaty, known also as the Bonn Convention, is the only one of its kind that allows countries to work across borders to protect migratory species. It was signed in 1970 in Bonn, Germany, and entered into effect in 1983, including countries from Central and South America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Costa Rica's membership reinforces its commitment to wildlife species that pass through the region, but also strengthens its legal and technical capacity to protect species and the land they utilize, according to the statement.

The convention applies to terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species, according to the United Nations. Costa Rica ranks among the world's most bio-diverse countries, housing migratory species like whales, ducks, hawks and sea turtles.