The USFWS is asking for public comment on its proposal to list the Monarch butterfly, important as a pollinator, as a threatened species. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is seeking public input on its proposal to list the Monarch butterfly as threatened. Public comments will be accepted on the proposal until March 12, 2025. The FWS will then evaluate the comments and any additional information on the species and determine whether to list the Monarch butterfly.

The proposal includes species-specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). According to the Endangers Species Coalition (ESC), Monarchs face numerous threats, from extreme weather due to climate change to the liberal use of pesticides, like Monsanto’s RoundUp, to habitat loss and fragmentation.“Without intervention, they are at risk of going extinct,” the ESC says. “Monarchs in the West have declined by 99% since the 1980s. Eastern monarchs have declined by over 80% in the same time period.”

According to the most recent monarch Species Status Assessment, the FWS says, by 2080 the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56 to 74% and the probability of extinction for western monarchs is greater than 95%.

In North America, monarchs are grouped into two long-distance migratory populations. The eastern migratory population is the largest and overwinters in the mountains of central Mexico. The western migratory population primarily overwinters in coastal California. In the 1980s, over 4.5 million western monarchs flocked to overwintering grounds in coastal California. In the mid-1990s, an estimated 380 million eastern monarchs made the long-distance journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico, completing one of the longest insect migrations in the world.

The iconic orange and black Monarch butterfly is critical to the environment, according to several sources. The Nature Conservancy states:

“As pollinators, the monarch butterfly migration across the continent provides an invaluable service, essential for many ecosystems to thrive. It is thanks to pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, and other insects, that we have many of the flowers and dietary staples that we enjoy, like squash and blueberries.”

The National Park Service adds:

“More than beautiful, monarch butterflies contribute to the health of our planet. While feeding on nectar, they pollinate many types of wildflowers. The flowers they chose are varieties that are brightly colored, grow in clusters, stay open during the day, and have flat surfaces that serve as landing pads for their tiny guests. Monarch butterflies are also an important food source for birds, small animals, and other insects.”

The proposal to list the monarch butterfly, and designate critical habitat, will publish in the Federal Register on Dec.12. A 90-day comment period will open on Dec. 12 and will close on March 12, 2025.

Information about how to submit comments can be found on regulations.gov by searching for docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137. This docket also includes information about how to attend two virtual public information meetings, and associated public hearings, about this listing proposal.

For more information, visit the FWS website at https://www.fws.gov/initiative/pollinators/save-monarch.