Defenders Applauds Overdue Listing for Monarch Butterfly

Defenders of Wildlife today learned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intends to announce the monarch butterfly is warranted for Endangered Species Act listing with a threatened status. This listing decision will provide critical protections under the ESA, allowing new legal safeguards and requiring FWS and other agencies to develop and implement programs for recovery.

“This decision is long overdue and extremely welcome,” said Andrew Carter, Defenders of Wildlife’s director of conservation policy. “The protections that come with Endangered Species Act listing increase the chance that these precious pollinators will rebound and recover throughout their historic range. The monarch butterfly is an iconic North American species and like other such iconic species, including the bald eagle and American peregrine falcon, it too deserves a chance at recovery.”

Historically found throughout North America, monarchs naturally spread to Central and South America and have been introduced in a few locations around the globe. Their native populations across North America, however, have been in severe decline for decades due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change. The western monarch populations faced the steepest declines, down to an estimated 233,394 individuals, while the eastern population is estimated at several million. There has been a historical decline of more than 95% for the western monarch population, and more than 80% for the eastern population. The species can undergo sudden declines on a year-to-year basis: In 2020, for example, the western population almost disappeared completely, with less than 2,000 counted at their overwintering site.

Along with threatened status decision, FWS is proposing to designate 4,395 acres of the western monarch population’s overwintering sites as critical habitat. Under the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies must take care to not carry out, approve, or fund actions that can destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat.

In addition to the threatened status, FWS is proposing what is known as a “4(d) rule.” If implemented, the rule will set species-specific protective regulations.

This announcement comes after FWS delayed its decision to list the species in 2020, citing higher priority actions.

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