Center fo Biological Diversity News Release
New Eastern Monarch Butterfly Count Indicates Pollinator Still Threatened
Long-Term Decline of 90% Going Into Endangered Species Act Decision
The annual count of migratory monarchs that spend the winter in Mexico is once again dismal for the iconic orange-and-black butterflies. This year’s count showed a 22% decline from 2022, leaving the butterfly highly vulnerable to extinction.
The count found only 2.21 hectares of occupied forest. The total number of monarchs is 64% below the minimum threshold scientists say is necessary for the migrating pollinators to not be at risk of extinction in North America. Monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains have declined by around 90% since the mid-1990s.
Natural History Wanderings 
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