U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Listing the Monarch Butterfly as Threatened

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Listing the Monarch Butterfly as Threatened

Pixabay / Andreas Hoja

The monarch butterfly, a pollinator known for its long seasonal migrations from the U.S. and Canada down to Mexico, has seen a sharp decline in recent decades. Due to multiple factors, mostly human-caused, their numbers have plummeted at least 80%, depending on their migratory group. They may soon get federal protection, though.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has just issued a proposal to list the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. If approved, the designation would allow the agency to implement protective measures aimed at conserving the species.

Monarch butterfly with outstretched wings

In a news release announcing the proposal, the USFWS said there are two migratory groups, the eastern segment, which spends winters in central Mexico, and the western segment, which overwinters on the California coast. The eastern group had around 380 million individuals migrate to Mexico in the mid-1990s, but their population has gone down about 80% since then. They also face a 56 to 74% chance of going extinct by 2080.


HELP SAVE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY

Things are even worse for the western segment, which had more than 4.5 million butterflies overwinter in California in the 1980s. Their population has fallen by about 95%, and they face a 99% risk of extinction by 2080. This is according to USFWS assessments.

Monarch butterfly rests on flower

Among the threats to the monarch butterfly are pesticide use, climate change, and an increasing lack of milkweed, which is essential to their breeding and the survival of their caterpillars. One of the biggest threats, too, is the loss and degradation of their breeding, migratory, and overwintering habitat. Under the proposal, there would be just under 4400 acres of critical protected habitat designated along coastal California. That would include portions of Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura counties.

Officials hope these steps can get the monarch back in the right direction.


HELP SAVE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY

USFWS Director Martha Williams says, “The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle. Despite its fragility, it is remarkably resilient, like many things in nature when we just give them a chance. Science shows that the monarch needs that chance, and this proposed listing invites and builds on unprecedented public participation in shaping monarch conservation efforts. Providing monarchs with enough milkweed and nectar plants, even in small areas, can help put them on the road to recovery. Working together, we can help make this extraordinary species a legacy for our children and generations to come.”

Side view of monarch butterfly

The agency says conservation work for the monarch involves collaboration between Tribes, federal and state agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations. Together, they work on surveys, monitoring and habitat improvements, and getting private landowners on board.

A public comment period on the proposal will run through March 12. Officials will use this feedback and other information to determine whether to go forward with the listing. If you’d like to learn more about the proposal, how to share your thoughts, or steps you can take on your own to protect monarchs, visit the USFWS website. To help plant milkweed, click here!

Michelle Milliken

Michelle has a journalism degree and has spent more than seven years working in broadcast news. She's also been known to write some silly stuff for humor websites. When she's not writing, she's probably getting lost in nature, with a fully-stocked backpack, of course.

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