Endangered Species Act May Have A New Candidate – The Monarch Butterfly!

U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service To Launch Year Long Status Review

It is well known that a lot of the fauna of our world is in acute danger. There are many names on the endangered list, and another name that may get added to it is that of the monarch butterfly. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a yearlong status review is set to take place which will study the population of these butterflies after conservation groups raised concerns. The biggest threats to this species are loss of habitat and the extensive use of pesticides. Milkweed plants, which are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars, are diminishing rapidly. Monarch butterflies generally migrate from Canada to Mexico and vice versa. Therefore, their habitat extends to all of the US, particularly California, Washington and Oregon in spring, summer and fall.

The Xerces Society Paints A Dire Picture

According to The Xerces Society, which is a leading conservation group, the number of monarch butterflies has decreased by around 90% since the 1990s. At that time, there were around a billion of them, and now there are only about 33 million left. As Sarina Jepsen said, “We know from research that monarchs lay four times more eggs on milkweed plants growing in cropland than other areas,” “So that milkweed is especially important, and it’s just disappearing at an unprecedented rate.”

Assistance Of Home Owners Requested

Jepson requested help and assistance from homeowners, who can help by planting milkweed in their yards and gardens. Brett Lawrence, spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said that the review is being undertaken is see if the threat to the monarch butterflies is really as serious as conservation groups are claiming. Information will be gathered from the public and about the species’ range and habitat requirements, historical and current population levels, and conservation measures undertaken for the species and its habitats.