Help Save the Monarch Butterfly

by Johanna Perez

The monarch butterfly, known for its breathtaking migration across North America, is facing a perilous decline due to habitat loss, climate change, and the destruction of its primary food source—milkweed. This iconic species now faces a dramatic decrease in numbers, signaling an urgent need for action. It is estimated that by 2080, monarch butterflies will be extinct on the west coast, and there is a 50-80% that it will also be extinct on the east coast. Monarch butterflies are pollinators and losing this species could have disastrous consequences on our food crops.

Adding the monarch butterfly to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) would provide critical protections, allowing for the preservation and restoration of the habitats that support their survival. Milkweed, the monarch’s primary host plant, and nectar-rich plants like goldenrod, coneflower, and bee balm are vital to their lifecycle, offering sustenance during their migration. By safeguarding these plants and designating critical habitats, we can help restore monarch populations and protect biodiversity. The monarch’s plight is a call to action: if we protect this beautiful butterfly, we are also protecting countless other species that rely on these ecosystems. Ensuring the monarch’s survival is essential, not only for nature but for the health of our entire environment. Besides planting seeds that benefit the monarch butterfly, please send a comment to the Fish and Wildlife Commission stating that you support protecting the monarch butterfly - it only takes a minute.

Leave your comment supporting the proposed rule at:  https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137-0001

Read the text of the proposed rule, Endangered and Threatened Species: Species Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Monarch Butterfly and Designation of Critical Habitat, at: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137-0001