Monarch butterfly endangered listing
What is up with the monarch listing? Recently the media picked up a story and ran with it about the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the monarch butterfly an "endangered species". This is absolutely a call for action internationally. Just to be clear, although the science and monitoring may warrant an endangered species listing in the U.S., the butterfly has not been declared as “endangered” by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Monarch Joint Venture explains more here:
It is important to clarify that the IUCN listing is not the same as listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The ESA listing remains on the same trajectory of an expected final ruling in the federal fiscal year 2024. The IUCN designation does not provide any protections or regulatory authority as the ESA ruling would provide.
While different from the ESA, similar assessments of the species status were conducted by the IUCN team and experts. Their findings resulting in a designation of endangered on the IUCN red list are consistent with the results of the ESA Species Status Assessment, and therefore this IUCN listing is not surprising and resulting from the multi-year body of research documenting population declines.
There is value in the robust science conducted by IUCN in determining their status in informing ongoing efforts globally. While these results are not related to and unlikely to impact the ESA listing process, elevating the awareness of monarch conservation needs at the international level is really valuable.
It's disheartening that monarchs have reached the level of this designation being warranted, but we remain hopeful that the growing momentum, awareness and engagement around this issue will make a difference for monarchs and other pollinators. We've seen great growth and diversity in our partnership from across backgrounds and professional trades coming to the table to support pollinator conservation.
This is another loud call to action that we need all hands on deck for monarch and pollinator conservation, and there is urgency in increasing the scale of our actions across North America.
This IUCN designation does not change any existing rules or laws surrounding monarch handling, observations, etc. Please check with your local ordinances and refer to our handout regarding raising monarchs.
At this time, this decision doesn't affect how we continue to do conservation for monarchs and other pollinators in the U.S. It is valuable in growing awareness about our work to conserve monarchs and pollinators, and will help to continue growing momentum for this important issue.