By Mark Moran - Producer-Editor, Contact - News
Big Sky Connection - Federal officials are set to decide as soon as next week whether the iconic monarch butterfly will be listed as threatened or even endangered. Their numbers have dropped dramatically, especially in the West, which is one of two routes the butterflies take on their annual fall migration to Mexico. Comments from Mary Phillips, head of the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife and Certified Wildlife Habitat programs.
Click on the image above for your audio. After a slight increase in 2022, the number of 2023-2024 western monarchs "overwintering" in the West declined. (Adobe Stock)
Mark Moran
November 25, 2024 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide by early December whether to list the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act.
Wildlife experts say the iconic monarch has cultural as well as ecological value, and they're encouraging people to get involved in helping the butterflies during their migration.
There are two routes the monarchs take in the fall, from Canada to Mexico - one over the central U.S, and the other over western states, including Montana.
Mary Phillips, the head of the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife and Certified Wildlife Habitat programs, said the numbers are down for both groups - but are especially alarming in the West.
"Right now, the count is down to 233,000 butterflies across more than 200 sites in the western area," said Phillips. "So, the urgency around this has really intensified."
The monarch butterfly population has declined by 90% over the past two decades.
Phillips said in addition to its cultural significance in Mexico, the monarch is also critically important to the world's ecosystems, and protecting its habitat is key to the butterfly's future.
Beyond their sheer beauty and complex migration abilities, Phillips said the iconic monarchs could presage the future for other critical pollinators, so keeping them off the endangered list is critical.
"They're kind of the canary in the coal mine, if you will," said Phillips, "and they've really flagged the significant effort of habitat loss, climate change, and overall ecological ramifications."
Phillips said backyard gardeners can help the butterfly by planting milkweed in yards and gardens, as well as asters and goldenrod species, that provide nectar stopovers for the monarchs on their long migration to Mexico.
| Best Practices | Disclosure |
