The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has raised the need to include the monarch butterfly, an iconic lepidopteran of North America, on the endangered species list under the Endangered Species Act. In response to this situation, the initiative presented by the USFWS aims to halt the alarming decline of their population and ensure their survival.
According to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), this proposal provides a path forward to recover this “unique” species, facilitating greater resources, coordination, and research efforts.
The decline in the population of these butterflies is due to various factors such as climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, and excessive pesticide use. In the 1990s, millions of specimens traveled their migratory route, but the latest census in 2023 recorded only 233,394 individuals at over 200 monitoring sites.
In Mexico, where the monarchs hibernate in the mountains of the central region, their presence dropped from 2.2 hectares in 2022 to just 0.9 in 2023, marking the second worst record in decades.
The U.S. proposes to include this butterfly on the endangered species list. Photo: Wikipedia.
The path to protecting the monarch butterfly
This proposal has been formalized in recent days, after which a public comment period was opened and will conclude on March 12. If the initiative is approved, the inclusion will allow authorities to coordinate resources and establish specific regulations in collaboration with scientists, government agencies, indigenous communities, conservation organizations, and private landowners.
Clay Bolt, Director of Pollinator Conservation at WWF, pointed out that long-term monitoring conducted by this organization demonstrated a steady decline in migratory monarchs due to increasing threats. To stabilize their population, it will be important to restore critical habitats, such as hibernation areas and milkweed-growing zones, an essential plant for their reproduction.
monarch butterflies
A collective effort to protect them
Protecting the monarch butterfly does not solely depend on governmental measures. According to experts, collaboration among farmers, landowners, conservationists, and ordinary citizens is vital to safeguard habitats along the 3,000 miles of their migratory route.
Collin O’Mara, President of NWF, highlighted the relevance of this measure, stating that this proposal represents a significant step towards the future of these butterflies, given that the Endangered Species Act has saved nearly 99% of classified species. Therefore, it is expected that this measure ensures the survival of this unique species.
With this initiative, the United States aims to take a decisive step to reverse the decline of the monarch butterfly, a symbol of biodiversity and the challenges facing conservation in a changing world.
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