Migratory Monarch Butterfly Listed As Endangered On IUCN Red List
Every year, millions of migratory monarch butterflies travel 3,000 miles from their breeding grounds in U.S. and Canada to Mexico. The magnificent orange-and-black butterflies are a sight to behold, but sadly their populations have been declining at an alarming and unsustainable rate.
On Thursday, the migratory monarch butterfly was listed as Endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change have taken a toll on the beloved butterflies and their food source, milkweed.
“The native population, known for its migrations from Mexico and California in the winter to summer breeding grounds throughout the United States and Canada, has shrunk by between 22% and 72% over the past decade,” stated IUCN in a press release.
Their numbers are declining faster than they predicted.
Both the eastern and western populations are at risk, but the western has seen even steeper declines. IUCN shared, “The western population is at greatest risk of extinction, having declined by an estimated 99.9%, from as many as 10 million to 1,914 butterflies between the 1980s and 2021. The larger eastern population also shrunk by 84% from 1996 to 2014.”
But all hope is not lost.
Anna Walker, member of IUCN SSC Butterfly and Moth Specialist Group and the person who led the monarch butterfly assessment, said, “It is difficult to watch monarch butterflies and their extraordinary migration teeter on the edge of collapse, but there are signs of hope. So many people and organizations have come together to try and protect this butterfly and its habitats. From planting native milkweed and reducing pesticide use to supporting the protection of overwintering sites and contributing to community science, we all have a role to play in making sure this iconic insect makes a full recovery.”
Ways To Help The Disappearing Monarch Butterflies
Plant milkweed & other native flowers
Stop using dangerous pesticides
Spread the word
Despite all the sobering statistics, the United States has not listed monarch butterflies on the Endangered Species List.
Click below and join thousands of others in demanding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stand up for monarch butterflies!
