Tell FWS to Grant Endangered Species Status to Monarch Butterflies

From PennEnvironment (http://www.pennenvironment.org):

In just 40 years, America has lost 80 percent of eastern monarch butterflies, and close to 99 percent of western monarchs.¹

With monarch populations hitting drastic lows, these butterflies more than qualify for endangered species protections — yet the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recently announced its refusal to grant monarchs the protections they deserve.²

It’s just not right. And beyond that, it could lead to us completely losing monarchs.

We’re telling the FWS to give monarchs endangered species protections. Will you join us at https://pennenvironment.webaction.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=42074?

Monarch butterflies are one of the most beautiful creatures that flutter through our backyards, parks, playgrounds and fields. With their distinctive orange, black and white wings, they’ve become the world’s most recognizable butterfly.

But the twin threats of climate change and habitat loss have taken a dire toll on the butterflies — and extinction doesn’t look too far off: Though not finalized, the latest annual autumn count of the western monarchs shows only 2,000 monarchs compared to last year’s 30,000.³

There used to be millions of monarchs in American skies, but now sightings are growing rarer and rarer.⁴ So rare, in fact, that monarchs more than meet the standards to receive endangered species protections under the Endangered Species Act.

But still, the FWS won’t give monarchs the protections they deserve.

Tell the FWS to give monarchs the critical protections they need.

Right now, we’re in the middle of an extinction crisis as we say goodbye to species at an unprecedented rate. In the past century, we’ve lost more than 540 species, and we won’t stand by as monarchs join that list.⁵

Endangered species protections can make all the difference. The ESA has a proven track record of protecting and preserving endangered species — saving more than 200 species from the brink of extinction.⁶

Now we need the act to protect monarch butterflies. With endangered species protections, conservationists could build a comprehensive recovery plan for the butterflies, one that would lead to the preservation of their habitat and the planting of food that monarch caterpillars need to survive.

But before any of this can happen, the FWS has to give them endangered species protection.

That’s where you come in. Help us protect monarchs before it’s too late.

1. Theresa Machemer “Why Monarch Butterflies Aren’t Getting Endangered Species Status,” Smithsonian Magazine, December 21, 2020.
2. Theresa Machemer “Why Monarch Butterflies Aren’t Getting Endangered Species Status,” Smithsonian Magazine, December 21, 2020.
3. Farah Eltohamy, “Monarch butterflies denied endangered species listing despite shocking decline,” National Geographic, December 15, 2020.
4. Farah Eltohamy, “Monarch butterflies denied endangered species listing despite shocking decline,” National Geographic, December 15, 2020.
5. Rachel Nuwer, “Mass Extinctions Are Accelerating, Scientists Report,” The New York Times, June 1, 2020.
6. Christopher Ketcham, “Inside the effort to weaken the Endangered Species Act,” National Geographic, August 12, 2019.