monarch butterfly

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans on Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies, responding to years of warnings from environmentalists about the species’ declining population.

The beloved pollinator, long associated with summer and nature’s beauty, faces increasing threats from the climate crisis, habitat loss, and other human-induced factors.

Officials intend to add the monarch to the threatened species list under the Endangered Species Act by the end of 2025, following a 90-day public comment period.

“The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating life cycle,” the US Fish and Wildlife Service director, Martha Williams, said in a news release. “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.”

The act prohibits importing, exporting, possessing, transporting, or killing endangered species, though a “threatened” listing allows for some exceptions.

For monarchs, the proposed protections would generally bar killing or transporting the butterflies, but activities like removing milkweed—a key food source for monarch caterpillars—from private gardens and fields would still be allowed. Landowners, however, would be restricted from making permanent changes to land that render it unsuitable for the species. Educational uses of up to 250 monarchs and incidental deaths, such as those caused by vehicle strikes, would also remain permissible.

“We want people to continue to raise caterpillars and monarchs in their homes and use them for education,” Lori Nordstrom, assistant regional director for ecological services for the wildlife service’s midwest region.

The proposal designates 4,395 acres across seven coastal California counties as critical habitat for western monarchs, which migrate there for the winter.

While the designation would prohibit federal agencies from destroying or modifying this habitat, it would not entirely prevent development. Landowners requiring federal permits for projects would need to collaborate with the wildlife service to mitigate potential impacts.

Efforts to secure protections for monarchs have spanned nearly a decade. The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned for the species’ listing in 2014, prompting the agency to review its status. Though a 2020 conclusion found the listing warranted, higher-priority species delayed action. A 2022 legal settlement required a final decision by December 2024, later extended to the current timeline.

Monarchs, distinguished by their striking orange-and-black wings, are found throughout North America. Eastern monarchs migrate to Mexico for the winter, while western populations head to the California coast. However, both populations have experienced dramatic declines.

In Mexico, World Wildlife Fund data from early 2024 showed monarchs occupying only 2.2 acres of their traditional overwintering groves, a 59% drop from the previous year. Similarly, counts from California’s coastal overwintering sites revealed an 81% population decline over the past 25 years.

Environmentalists attribute these declines to habitat loss, agricultural expansion, and the widespread use of herbicides that hinder milkweed growth. Climate change compounds these threats by altering temperature patterns and shifting milkweed habitats further north, forcing monarchs to migrate longer distances and reducing their breeding time. Additionally, warming winters threaten the delicate balance monarchs need to survive overwintering periods.

Kristen Lundh, a biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service, explained the decision to list monarchs as “threatened” rather than “endangered,” citing the species’ continued presence across most of its range. However, she noted that western monarchs face a 95% chance of extinction by 2080, while eastern populations have a 57% to 74% probability of extinction within the same timeframe.

The public comment period marks the next step in the process, with a final decision expected by the end of 2025. This proposal underscores the urgent need to address threats to monarchs and their habitats to prevent further decline of this iconic species.

 

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