Beloved monarch butterflies now listed as endangered

[demmiblue]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The monarch butterfly fluttered a step closer to extinction Thursday, as scientists put the iconic orange-and-black insect on the endangered list because of its fast dwindling numbers.

“It’s just a devastating decline,” said Stuart Pimm, an ecologist at Duke University who was not involved in the new listing. “This is one of the most recognizable butterflies in the world.”

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the migrating monarch butterfly for the first time to its “red list” of threatened species and categorized it as “endangered” — two steps from extinct.

The group estimates that the population of monarch butterflies in North America has declined between 22% and 72% over 10 years, depending on the measurement method.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/beloved-monarch-butterflies-now-listed-as-endangered

[SWBTATTReg]

1. What a terrible shame. I watched these beautiful butterflies every year by the dozens and dozens

slowly float through the air in my backyard on their way to points unknown, points north of me. It's an annual tradition, and I watched them as they visited our flowers on their way, sometimes even bold enough to drink a little water out of the dog's watering bowl (tiny sips of course). I don't want to put out anything permanent, as I do have a regular crowd of robins who make their living around us, here throughout the year (and thus don't want to endanger the butterflies).

Thanks for the story!

[Takket]

2. i grew up in mssachusetts

i remember seeing them every one in a while. now i live in michigan. not sure if they were ever here but i've not seen one since i was a kid growing up

[Donkees]

3. 🦋 "But there are signs of hope... "

🦋 IUCN member Anna Walker, who led the assessment, said in a statement that it's difficult to watch the species "teeter on the edge of collapse." 🦋

"But there are signs of hope," 🦋 she said, noting that organizations are working to restore habitats, plant milkweed and reduce pesticides. "...We all have a role to play in making sure this iconic insect makes a full recovery." 🦋

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/humans-have-officially-made-migratory-monarch-butterflies-an-endangered-species-and-put-them-on-the-edge-of-collapse/ 🦋

🦋