Monarch Butterflies Are Now Considered "Endangered"

​www.iucn.org/press-release/202207/migratory-monarch-butterfly-now-endangered-iucn-red-list

Monarch butterflies have officially found themselves on the endangered species list after both the eastern & western populations have seen significant declines in numbers. The western population has seen the biggest decline with a whopping 99% population decline between 1980 and 2021 while the larger eastern population has seen an 84% reduction in numbers between 1996 and 2014. This indicates a loss of almost a million butterflies and also sounds the alarm on the damage we're continuing to do to our planet.

Monarch butterflies are recognized across the globe for their long journeys between Mexico & the U.S. / Canada, sometimes travelling over 4, 000 miles during the migratory season. This spectacular species is part of my childhood and part of a lot of our childhoods which is why it's so disheartening to see them fall victim to humanity's mistakes.

What perils are monarch butterflies up against? First of all, deforestation to accommodate agriculture is decimating milkweed; the necessary food source for monarch larvae. Secondly, continued use of herbicides / pesticides are continuing to affect milkweed as well as directly affecting monarch butterflies. These herbicides are killing both the food source and the butterflies themselves. Lastly, climate change related habitat destruction is also contributing to their endangerment. Climate fueled wildfires are destroying habitats, triggering early migration when food is not yet available, and causing catastrophic severe weather that butterflies can not navigate.

What solutions are there to protect the Monarch from extinction? It starts with agriculture and continued yearning for more at the expense of our planet. We're destroying necessary forests that are ecosystems for so many native species so that we can accommodate more animal ag / farm lands. The more we take from the environment, the more destruction we're leaving behind. The continued destruction of our forests is contributing to the decimation of so many species on our planet. We must designate more land as protected in both Canada & the United States if we're truly going to protect so many endangered and at risk species. If we continue to take land away from the other species on our planet, extinction is inevitable for thousands of species.

As far as climate change, one of the best things we can do on a personal level is to look at what we're contributing to climate change and find things we can change in our every day lives. For example, going vegetarian / vegan is a great way to help reduce emissions, protect animals, and stop the continued growth of the animal ag industry that is single-handedly destroying our planet. Recycling fashion, ditching single use plastics in favour of recycled / reusable options, taking public transit / walking instead of driving etc. Every little bit we do is better than nothing and if everyone collectively decided to make changes, we could stave off the worst of climate-change before we see the mass extinction take 100's of thousands of our planet's species before our eyes.

Are there enough butterflies left on our planet that conservation efforts will have time to save them? Only time will tell, but we should be worries because I don't remember where I read this, but I remember reading a quote that stated something along the lines of when our planet sees insects dying off, that's when we know we have truly gone to a place that will be hard to recover from. Insects indicate whether an ecosystem is doing well and when they start dying off, it's indicative of a serious problem. 

​Protect monarchs! Here's to hoping we've not pushed them too far.

HAPPY VEG