In response to today's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to list the migratory monarch butterfly as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement by Clay Bolt, Manager of Pollinator Conservation:
"For years, WWF and partners' research in the monarch's wintering habitat in Mexico has documented a long-term decline in their numbers. Increased threats from habitat loss, pesticides and climate change have reduced populations to the point where migratory monarchs need additional protections to help ensure their survival.
Stabilizing and reversing population trends requires an all-hands approach that not only relies on government protections, but also collaboration among landowners, farmers, conservationists, and everyday citizens who can help safeguard critical habitats along their 3,000-mile migratory route across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Accelerating efforts to restore milkweed populations, reduce the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides in the U.S., and enhance forest restoration in critical wintering habitat in Mexico can help return this iconic species to its historical abundance."
