Without prompt action, monarch butterflies are headed toward extinction.
John,
Without prompt action, monarch butterflies are headed toward extinction.
The population of western monarchs has fallen by more than 99 percent, but there are still no endangered species protections at the state or federal level. In fact, in the last months of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found the monarch meets listing criteria under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but decided they weren't a high enough priority to be protected!
Luckily, we don’t have to wait for the Fish & Wildlife Service to get around to protecting this vital pollinator. Bills are waiting in Congress to help protect monarch butterflies. Rep. Panetta (D-CA) and Sen. Merkley (D-OR) have reintroduced the Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act (MONARCH Act), as well as the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act.
The MONARCH Act would create a rescue fund of $12.5 million per year for five years to support conservation projects for the monarch butterfly. And the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act would develop roadside habitat through planting and seeding of pollinator-friendly plants and vegetation.
But monarchs aren’t the only butterfly species nearing extinction. According to an alarming recent study published in Science, butterfly populations are in a dangerous decline — dropping nearly 2 percent yearly from 1977 to 2018.
Food & Water Action has been fighting for years against the biggest threats to these beautiful creatures: climate change, pollution, and pesticides. We can’t allow these essential pollinators to be eradicated from our planet so corporate polluters can make an extra buck. But we need your help. Tell Congress butterflies deserve protection NOW.
In a recent count, fewer than 2,000 monarch butterflies were recorded overwintering on the California coast. Pollinators like the monarch butterfly are vital to our planet — not just for our gardens, but for our food supply. A world without them would be unthinkable — and unlivable.
Wenonah Hauter
Founder and Executive Director
Food & Water Action
Food & Water Action and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Watch, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate. This email was sent to [email protected] - and we're glad you got it, because it's one of the most important ways you can reclaim political power, hold elected officials accountable and resist corporate control.
