Monarch Butterfly populations are succumbing to the loss of habit, exposure to insecticides, and climate change effects. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Western Monarch species have a greater than 95% probability of extinction by 2080. Yesterday, December 12, the Service proposed to list Monarchs as “a threatened species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.”
A finalization of this proposal would protect about 4,395 acres that are critical habitats for Monarchs—-increasing availability of milkweed which is vital for monarch breeding and migration.