Western Monarch Butterfly Population Numbers Signal Dire Need for Intervention, Collaboration

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The latest count of western monarch butterfly populations, as of Jan. 30, is a clear sign of a species in trouble. The Xerces Society’s annual Western Migratory monarch butterfly count  recorded only 9,119 butterflies, the second worst year in the organization’s count. This is an approximately 96% decline from last year’s count of 233,394 butterflies at 256 California overwintering sites and demonstrates the timely importance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s proposal to list the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

“This is a historic and pivotal moment; the future of this irreplaceable insect species and its unequaled migration is at stake, and these numbers cannot be taken lightly. This latest count and the federal proposed listing confirm the need to tailor species-specific conservation measures and to combat climate change,” said Dr. Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón, senior scientist for the National Wildlife Federation.

“Volunteers with the Western Monarch Count have been tracking this population for 30 years, and during that time we’ve watched their numbers decline to the point where they are at risk of disappearing entirely,” said Emma Pelton, an endangered species biologist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “Monarchs need action now, and that means protecting their overwintering sites on the coast, restoring their breeding habitat inland, and addressing the overuse of pesticides.”

The latest species status assessment states that the eastern monarch population’s extinction probability ranges from 48% to 69% within the next 60 years. The predictions for the western monarch are even more dire, with a 98% to 99% probability of extinction within 60 years.

Climate change, excessive pesticide use, and habitat loss are the primary threats to the western migratory monarch populations. Longer and more severe droughts threaten western monarch breeding habitats and the availability of water, nectar, and host plants like native milkweed.

Listing the monarch as threatened under the Endangered Species Act would provide tailored conservation initiatives that prioritize protections for overwintering habitat and allow for restoration of critical breeding grounds. While we wait for this decision to be finalized, our efforts to provide habitat for monarchs and other native pollinators can start at home and in our communities. Through the National Wildlife Federation’s Native Plant Habitats, individuals, schools, community groups, and local governments can all create native habitat in urban and suburban areas to increase habitat connectivity and provide stepping stones for the monarchs during their migration.