BURSTThe Biden administration is proposing protections for the monarch butterfly – though the protections face an uncertain future in the incoming Trump administration.
The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to list the orange and black butterfly as threatened, citing steep drops in the insect’s populations.
It said that eastern migratory monarchs have declined by about 80 percent while western monarchs have declined by more than 95 percent – giving the western group a 99 percent chance of going extinct by 2080.
Habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are contributing to the issue.
“The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams in a statement. “Working together, we can help make this extraordinary species a legacy for our children and generations to come.”
In 2020, the Trump administration declined to provide the monarch with protections. It determined at that time that protections were “warranted” but that it was unable to protect the butterfly because it needed to devote its resources to higher-priority species.
At the time, it granted the monarch “warranted-but-precluded” status – meaning that every year it will consider adding the butterfly to the list.