The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed to add the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and has extended the public comment period until this Monday, May 19.
Monarchs are a high priority for EAC. We hosted an educational exhibit on monarchs, co-founded the Marin Monarch Working Group, and published Marin's Monarch Movement.
Join EAC and a myriad of environmental groups and concerned citizens and tell the USFWS that monarchs should be protected!
Why This Matters
Western monarchs have faced significant population decline since the 1980s - up to 99% have vanished. These butterflies are threatened by pesticides, loss of habitat and the milkweed they exclusively lay eggs on, and climate change.
The situation has only gotten more dire. Recent winter counts have found historic lows of just over 9,000 monarchs. The most recent monarch Species Status Assessment found that by 2080, the probability for western monarch extinction was 95%.
It's not too late to act. The USFWS's proposal to add monarchs as threatened under the ESA would include species-specific protections to encourage butterfly conservation, as well as a critical habitat designation for overwintering grounds in coastal California. Extending critical federal protections to the monarch butterfly will be essential in the fight for their survival.
Take Action
1. Submit written comment by Monday, May 19. Read how to submit public comment here.
2. Take action directly through partners, Xerces Society, or SPAWN Restoration Nursery action alerts.
