Monarch butterflies proposed for threatened species status
1 week, 5 days ago

Monarch butterflies proposed for threatened species status

LA Times  

Federal wildlife officials on Tuesday moved to add the monarch butterfly to its endangered species roster, citing decades of steep population decline of the striking black-and-orange insect. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the once-common monarch as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and designating coastal California sites where the butterflies spend winters as critical habitat. “The synergistic effects of all that are what’s leading to the decline,” said Cat Darst, a Ventura-based wildlife biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal wildlife officials also have proposed what’s known as a 4 rule, which would allow exceptions from prohibitions, including allowing activities that boost or protect monarch habitat — such as planting milkweed — and the rearing and release of small numbers of butterflies.

Wildlife California Species Federal Habitat Monarchs Critical Habitat Monarch Butterflies Western Monarchs Federal Wildlife Officials  proposed  wildlife  monarchs  fish  threatened  status  monarch  butterflies  federal  habitat  overwintering  service  species

History of this topic

U.S. moves to save once-common monarch butterflies from extinction
1 week, 5 days ago

U.S. moves to save once-common monarch butterflies from extinction

Raw Story  

The United States is moving to grant federal protections to the monarch butterfly -- a once-common species recognizable by its striking black and orange patterns that has faced a dramatic population decline in recent decades. "The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle," said FWS Director Martha Williams in a statement. …

U.S. Proposes Listing Monarch Butterflies Under Endangered Species Act To Aid Recovery
1 week, 5 days ago

U.S. Proposes Listing Monarch Butterflies Under Endangered Species Act To Aid Recovery

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed Tuesday that the monarch butterfly be protected under the Endangered Species Act, an effort that would give the iconic pollinator space to recover after years of declining populations. “It’s hard to imagine a world without monarch butterflies, and I hope we never have to.” “I wish it was different, but …

Monarch butterflies to be listed as a threatened species in US
1 week, 5 days ago

Monarch butterflies to be listed as a threatened species in US

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — U.S. wildlife officials announced a decision Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies after years of warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking and the beloved pollinator may not survive climate change. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to add the butterfly to the threatened species list by the end of next year following an extensive public …

Monarch butterflies may get Endangered Species Act protection : Short Wave : NPR
4 weeks ago

Monarch butterflies may get Endangered Species Act protection : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

Monarch butterflies may soon get protections under Endangered Species Act Enlarge this image toggle caption HegedusPeter / 500px/Getty Images HegedusPeter / 500px/Getty Images Every year, millions of monarch butterflies venture across North America – though in far smaller clusters than decades ago. Counts at overwintering sites on the California coast estimate that western monarch numbers have plunged by more than …

Millions of monarch butterflies have gone missing, and there is one thing humans can do to help
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Millions of monarch butterflies have gone missing, and there is one thing humans can do to help

BBC  

Millions of monarch butterflies have gone missing, and there is one thing humans can do to help Getty Images Monarch butterfly populations are declining, but humans can do one easy thing to help. The forces driving monarch decline Two distinct populations, the eastern and western monarchs, are being impacted by the same set of threats: habitat destruction, pesticide exposure and …

The number of monarch butterflies at their Mexico wintering sites has plummeted this year
10 months, 2 weeks ago

The number of monarch butterflies at their Mexico wintering sites has plummeted this year

Hindustan Times  

MEXICO CITY — The number of monarch butterflies at their wintering areas in Mexico dropped by 59% this year to the second lowest level since record keeping began, experts said Wednesday, blaming heat, drought and loss of habitat. The annual butterfly count doesn’t calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover when they clump …

The number of monarch butterflies at their Mexico wintering sites has plummeted this year
10 months, 2 weeks ago

The number of monarch butterflies at their Mexico wintering sites has plummeted this year

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — The number of monarch butterflies at their wintering areas in Mexico dropped by 59% this year to the second lowest level since record keeping began, experts said Wednesday, blaming heat, drought and loss of habitat. The annual butterfly count doesn’t calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover when they clump …

Western monarch butterflies overwintering in California dropped by 30% last year, researchers say
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Western monarch butterflies overwintering in California dropped by 30% last year, researchers say

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — The number of western monarch butterflies overwintering in California dropped by 30% last year, likely due to how wet it was, researchers said Tuesday. Scientists say the butterflies are at critically low levels in western states because of destruction to their milkweed habitat along their migratory route due to housing construction and the increased use of pesticides …

Monarch butterflies appear to be everywhere these days. Is the crisis over?
1 year, 1 month ago

Monarch butterflies appear to be everywhere these days. Is the crisis over?

LA Times  

The anecdotes abound this year — friends reporting magical clusters of monarch butterflies on their walks, dozens of organizations offering free giveaways of native milkweed and projects to restore habitat, even a lone monarch gracefully fluttering outside my window AS I’M WRITING THESE WORDS. But that’s still around 90% below the historic norms seen in the 1980s, Pelton says, when …

3 Good Things: Monarch hospitality, corporate largesse and the subject of ‘Serial’ flies free
2 years, 3 months ago

3 Good Things: Monarch hospitality, corporate largesse and the subject of ‘Serial’ flies free

LA Times  

Helping butterflies Mister Rogers taught us that if we see something sad on the news, we should “look for the helpers.” Well, this year monarch butterflies were declared endangered. A reader sent a note to 3 Good Things recently to tell us that many organizations nationwide are giving away milkweed plants or seeds, so we can provide more food and …

Tiger population increases by 40%: Species still remains endangered in new IUCN listing
2 years, 5 months ago

Tiger population increases by 40%: Species still remains endangered in new IUCN listing

India Today  

In what comes as positive news for tiger reserves, conservationists across the world, the population of tigers has increased by 40 per cent since the last assessment in 2015. The latest findings revealed that 40 per cent jump in the tiger population globally is due to improvements in monitoring, showing that there are more tigers than previously thought, and the …

Beloved monarch butterflies now listed as endangered
2 years, 5 months ago

Beloved monarch butterflies now listed as endangered

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The monarch butterfly fluttered a step closer to extinction Thursday, as scientists put the iconic orange-and-black insect on the endangered list because of its fast dwindling numbers. “This is one of the most recognizable butterflies in the world.” The International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the migrating monarch butterfly for the first time to its “red …

He spends his days counting monarch butterflies in L.A. He could use your help
2 years, 11 months ago

He spends his days counting monarch butterflies in L.A. He could use your help

LA Times  

It’s 49 degrees in Malibu, practically freezing for Angelenos, and Richard Rachman is peering through a chain-link fence trying to find butterflies. “While climate change-driven severe drought is associated with declines in butterfly abundance and diversity in the West overall, the effects are complex; warmer and drier summers — like 2021 — can be a temporary boon to some butterfly …

After record low, monarch butterflies return to California
3 years, 1 month ago

After record low, monarch butterflies return to California

Associated Press  

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. — There is a ray of hope for the vanishing orange-and-black Western monarch butterflies. The number wintering along California’s central coast is bouncing back after the population, whose presence is often a good indicator of ecosystem health, reached an all-time low last year. An annual winter count last year by the Xerces Society recorded fewer than 2,000 …

Where to see California’s dwindling monarch butterflies
3 years, 2 months ago

Where to see California’s dwindling monarch butterflies

LA Times  

Finally, a sliver of hope for Western monarch butterflies. That’s pretty abysmal given that a few years ago we saw 20,000.” Take the popular Monarch Grove in Pismo State Beach. Although official counts have not begun yet, Pelton said the known monarch grove in Pacific Grove, Calif., near Monterey saw 1,300 butterflies last weekend — reason enough to be cautiously …

Editorial: California’s monarch butterflies could disappear, unless we act now
3 years, 9 months ago

Editorial: California’s monarch butterflies could disappear, unless we act now

LA Times  

It wasn’t so long ago that orange clouds of monarch butterflies would descend upon the California coast every winter. Habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change have whittled down the monarch butterfly population nationwide, but monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains have been especially hard hit. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s scientists have estimated that there is a 96% to …

Monarch butterflies down 26% in Mexico wintering grounds
3 years, 9 months ago

Monarch butterflies down 26% in Mexico wintering grounds

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — The number of monarch butterflies that showed up at their winter resting grounds in central Mexico decreased by about 26% this year, and four times as many trees were lost to illegal logging, drought and other causes, making 2020 a bad year for the butterflies. The government commission for natural protected areas said the butterflies’ population covered …

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction
3 years, 11 months ago

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction

Live Mint  

The number of western monarch butterflies wintering along the California coast has plummeted precipitously to a record low, putting the orange-and-black insects closer to extinction, researchers announced on 19 January. Other well-known locations, such as Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove and Natural Bridges State Park, only hosted a few hundred butterflies, researchers said. “These sites normally host thousands of …

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction
3 years, 11 months ago

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction

Hindustan Times  

The number of western monarch butterflies wintering along the California coast has plummeted precipitously to a record low, putting the orange-and-black insects closer to extinction, researchers announced Tuesday. Monarch Butterfly Western monarch butterflies head south from the Pacific Northwest to California each winter, returning to the same places and even the same trees, where they cluster to keep warm. Other …

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction
3 years, 11 months ago

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — The number of western monarch butterflies wintering along the California coast has plummeted precipitously to a record low, putting the orange-and-black insects closer to extinction, researchers announced Tuesday. Other well-known locations, such as Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove and Natural Bridges State Park, only hosted a few hundred butterflies, researchers said. “These sites normally host thousands …

Feds to delay seeking legal protection for monarch butterfly
4 years ago

Feds to delay seeking legal protection for monarch butterfly

Associated Press  

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Federal officials on Tuesday declared the monarch butterfly “a candidate” for threatened or endangered status, but said no action would be taken for several years because of the many other species awaiting that designation. “We conducted an intensive, thorough review using a rigorous, transparent science-based process and found that the monarch meets listing criteria under the …

Endangered-species decision expected on beloved butterfly
4 years ago

Endangered-species decision expected on beloved butterfly

Associated Press  

Trump administration officials are expected to say this week whether the monarch butterfly, a colorful and familiar backyard visitor now caught in a global extinction crisis, should receive federal designation as a threatened species. Listing it “would guarantee that the monarch would get a comprehensive recovery plan and ongoing funding,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist with the Center for …

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