Wildlife

US Proposes Listing Monarchs as a Threatened Species

This December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed a listing of the North American migratory monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. So, what does that new potential listing mean for the monarch butterfly? Read along as we unpack the significance of this listing and what you can do to help the monarch. The Monarch Butterfly’s Decline North America’s monarch butterfly has been in rapid decline for the last few decades due to habitat loss and fragmentation, excessive pesticide use, and climate change. If the decline continues, the extraordinary monarch migration across the continent could cease altogether. The Monarch Butterfly is Now Considered Threatened In December 2024, the USFWS proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act is the strongest conservation law in the United States. Under this act, plants or animals can be listed as either “threatened” or “endangered”. When a