Migratory monarch butterflies officially declared ‘endangered’, but there’s hope

Source: The post is based on the article “Migratory monarch butterflies officially declared ‘endangered’, but there’s hope” published in Down To Earth on 22nd July 2022.

What is the News?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified Migratory Monarch Butterflies as Endangered under IUCN Red List.

What is a Migratory Monarch Butterfly?

Migratory Monarch Butterfly is a subspecies of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus).

They are important pollinators and provide various ecosystem services such as maintaining the global food web.

These butterflies follow a unique lifestyle: They traverse the length and breadth of the American continent twice a year, feasting on nectar from a variety of flora. But they breed in only one particular plant — the milkweeds.

Why has it been classified as Endangered?

The population of this butterfly has declined 23-72% over the last decade. 

Habitat destruction and climate change were the biggest contributors to this decline.