The USFWS listing proposal is accompanied by a proposed critical habitat designation for the species at its overwintering grounds in coastal California and a proposed 4(d) rule that offers species-specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation.

According to the most recent monarch Species Status Assessment, by 2080 the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56 to 74% and the probability of extinction for western monarchs is greater than 95%. Threats to the species include the loss and degradation of breeding, migratory and overwintering habitat, exposure to insecticides and the effects of climate change .

A public comment period officially opens and will close on March 12, 2025.  A final ruling will be placed one year from the proposal date.

For the full proposal visit: https://www.fws.gov/media/threatened-species-status-section-4d-rule-monarch-butterfly-and-designation-critical-habitat?blm_aid=64314484.

The Government of Canada has elevated the Monarch Butterfly to endangered as of December 2023. This provides legal protection for the butterfly on federal lands. For the Monarch Butterfly, the Government of Canada must prepare a recovery strategy and action plan. These documents will describe conservation, recovery actions and may define their critical habitat. They will also document what can be done to conserve the species. This must be published within one year. The decision to uplist the Monarch Butterfly was made after winter counts in Mexico showed a decline of 50 percent from 2006 to 2016. Causes for the declines within Canada are assumed to be a decline of its host plant milkweed and nectar supplies within the breeding range. Their host plant, milkweed, is also greatly affected by some types of herbicides, and pesticide use is listed as a threat to the species.

Several provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, have also designated the monarch as a species at risk under their respective provincial Species at Risk Acts, reinforcing the need for habitat protection and restoration at the regional level. Depending on the province, monarchs have been designated from being a species of “Special Concern” to “Endangered”. Some provinces have removed milkweeds from their provincial “Noxious Weeds” lists.

As the primary overwintering destination for the eastern populations of North American monarchs, Mexico plays a vital role in their conservation:

• Biosphere Reserve: Monarch butterflies are legally protected in Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the states of Michoacán and Mexico. This reserve provides essential protection for the oyamel fir forests where monarchs overwinter in large numbers. The Reserve was first established in 1986 and expanded in 2000.

• National Legal Protections: Monarchs are also listed as a species of special protection under Mexican law, which helps safeguard their overwintering sites from illegal logging and other threats. The Mexican government and local communities actively work to protect and reforest the sanctuaries crucial to the monarch life cycle.