Federal wildlife officials decided Tuesday to add the monarch butterfly to the endangered species list, citing decades of steep declines in the population of the striking black-and-orange insect.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the once-common monarch as threatened by the Endangered Species Act and the designation of sites along the California coast where the butterflies spend the winter as critical habitat.
“Despite its fragility, like many things in nature, it is remarkably resilient if we just give it a chance,” Martha Williams, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said in a statement. “Science shows the monarch needs this chance.”
The action comes a decade after advocacy groups petitioned the federal agency to protect the iridescent pollinators and launched a 90-day public comment period beginning Dec. 12. The deadline for a decision is one year from this date.
Given the species' wide distribution, it would affect all 48 contiguous states, officials said – making it one of the most comprehensive species lists ever considered.
There are two long-distance migratory populations of monarchs in North America: Western Monarchs, which primarily overwinter between the Bay Area and San Diego along the California coast and the much larger population to the east, which spends the cool season in the Transvolcanic Mountains. of central Mexico.
Since the 1980s, the number of western monarch butterflies has declined by more than 95%, putting them more than 99% likely to go extinct by 2080, according to the agency's latest species status assessment. Eastern monarch numbers have declined by about 80%, with the probability of extinction rising from 56% to 74% by 2080.
To put the crash in perspective: Less than five decades ago, more than 4.5 million western monarchs flocked to wintering grounds in the Golden State. Last year, around 233,000 were recorded during winter breaks.
Threats to monarchs include loss and degradation of habitat used for reproduction, migration and overwintering, including the milkweed plants they use Rely on it as a place where they can lay their eggs.
Other threats include exposure to insecticides and the effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and drought, which impact the resources they need for their marathon migration.
“The synergistic effects of all of this are what's driving the decline,” said Cat Darst, a Ventura-based wildlife biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service.
If the butterflies are listed, they will receive protection from so-called taking throughout their range, which includes injury, harassment, possession, transport and collection. Companies that want to conduct activities that could impact monarchs would have to work with federal wildlife agencies to ensure they are not harmed.
Federal wildlife officials have also proposed a so-called 4(d) rule that would allow exceptions to bans, including allowing activities that promote or protect monarch butterfly habitat – such as planting milkweed – as well as the breeding and release of one small number of butterflies.
“What's really cool … is that given the overall habitat use and the wide distribution of monarch butterflies – I mean, they're everywhere, right?” “That means everyone has the opportunity to participate in the diverse conservation efforts that are required throughout the distribution area,” said Darst.
Officials are also considering designating 4,395 acres of land critical habitat in Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties in California. Overwintering sites in these areas are considered essential for the conservation of the species.
“This is good news because (the species) will receive ongoing funding and a recovery plan,” Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, said of the proposed listing.
“In California in particular, overwintering monarch butterfly trees are still being cut down,” Curry said, adding that just last month the Bureau of Land Management cut down some trees known to harbor butterflies in the winter.
“Now their overwintering trees should be protected,” she said.
Federal authorities are prohibited from destroying or negatively altering data critical habitat. And they must consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service about the actions they take, fund or approve to ensure they do not cause such harm.
Private and government landowner activities are not affected by the designation unless they require federal funding or permits.
In 2014, the Center for Biological Diversity was founded along with the Center for Food Safety, the Xerces Society for Inscribed Conservation and a noted monarch biologist requested the Fish and Wildlife Service to protect beloved invertebrates and their endangered habitat.
Six years later, the monarchs ended up on the waiting list for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.
This week marked a court-ordered deadline to decide whether the butterflies should be added to the list.