Iconic pollinators to ecosystems, monarch butterflies face alarming population declines due to habitat loss and climate change. US wildlife officials are proposing listing the monarchs as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act and that is spurring renewed efforts to save this cherished species.
Thousands of miles to the forests in the center of Mexico, it is a spectacular journey north American monarch butterflies make year after year. But orange-and-black wings of delicate pollinators are also disappearing at an alarming rate.
US Fish and Wildlife officials have proposed that monarchs be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. It comes after decades of drastic population declines, an 80% drop in the eastern migratory population and a loss of 95% since the 1980s in the west.
The experts warn that if intervention doesn’t happen, the butterflies could disappear from the continent before the end of the century.
Major threats to the species include habitat destruction caused by illegal logging, climate-driven droughts, and pesticide use that have killed off milkweed-the monarch’s main source of nutrition.
Eduardo Rendón-Salinas, of WWF-Mexico says that monarchs represent something much bigger than a specific issue: “Pollinators are essential for 75 percent of the food we eat.
Conservationists call for team effort. Ideas include safeguarding 4,400 acres of habitat within California and promoting small-area planting of milkweed and nectar flowers. “Any small actions can have huge influences,” said Martha Williams of the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Despite the odds, there remains hope. According to analysts, cooperation among governments, conservators, and citizens may help in overcoming the decline. Saving the monarch is not only about beauty, but also about preserving ecosystems for coming generations.
