State Conservation Groups Act As Monarch Butterflies Near Extinction

By Andrea Sears, Public News Service:

NEW YORK -- Conservation groups are working on several major efforts to keep the monarch butterfly from becoming extinct.

The monarch is in trouble. Numbers of the highly recognizable butterflies that migrate every year from Canada to Mexico have declined so drastically, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says its protection under the Endangered Species Act is warranted.

But there are now 161 species that are candidates for classification as endangered. According to Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñon, monarch outreach coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation, those are divided among a list of ten categories, according to priority.

"The monarch took place number eight in the list," said Quiñonez-Piñon. "And they are expecting to determine if the monarch will be listed as threatened or endangered by the year 2024."

They aren't evident in this week's snow and ice, but there are efforts in New York to create roadside monarch habitat, and to increase habitat along power transmission corridors.

NWF says federal legislation, like the Recovering America's Wildlife Act, also is needed.

Factors such as climate change and pesticide use have had dramatic impacts on eastern and western monarch populations. And Quiñonez-Piñon noted that herbicides are eliminating much of the milkweed that monarchs depend on.

"This is the monarch's only host plant," said Quiñonez-Piñon. "If they don't have milkweed, it is not possible for them to lay their eggs and reproduce."

She said even in urban areas, small patches of native habitat have been proven to benefit migrating monarch butterflies.

Efforts like the Mayors' Monarch Pledge are helping restore monarch habitat nationwide. And Quiñonez-Piñon pointed out that anyone with a yard can plant native species to help rebuild the monarch population.

"The National Wildlife Federation has a really good list of native plants," said Quiñonez-Piñon. "We have a Native Plants Finder on our website that everyone can check, so they can see what kind of native plants they can use in their area."

She said habitat connectivity also is crucial to easing the monarch's journey on its fall and spring migrations.

Disclosure: National Wildlife Federation contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species & Wildlife, Energy Policy, Environment, Public Lands/Wilderness, Salmon Recovery, Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.

This story was originally published by the Public News Service. For more information, visit publicnewsservice.org. And subscribe now to Public News Service’s “2020Talks,” a daily 3-minute podcast that will answer all your election questions.