Monarchs have been added to the IUCN Red List- What Does that Mean for the Species?

Photo taken by Carly Voight / Xerces Society.

The migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) has been added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as “Endangered”. The monarch is the only known butterfly to make a two-way migration totaling over 2800 miles. This is the largest know insect migration!

The native population of Western Monarch Butterflies has plummeted by 99.9% since the 1980s. Some reasons for this include habitat fragmentation due to deforestation of wintering shelter in California and Mexico, the overuse of pesticides and herbicides, and the devastating effects of global warming. Droughts and wildfires have limited Monarch habitat, triggered early migrations before milkweed has been available and caused large populations to die during extreme heat waves. This particular endangered migratory monarch is a subspecies of the Monarch Butterfly and populations in recent years have declined by as much as 72% over the last decade.

Monarchs, like many other pollinators, are important to our food chain and ecosystem. They carry pollen to flowers and plants, fertilizing them so that they can produce seeds and fruits. Other than pollinating plants and fruit trees, monarchs are an importance part of the food web as a major part of the diets of birds, other insects, and small animals.

What is the IUCN?

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature is an international organization, composed of government agencies, social agencies and environmental agencies, working to improve nature conservation and sustainability in the environment.

What is the Red List and What are the Implications?

The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. It is a powerful tool to inform and catalyze action for conservation policy change, critical to protecting the natural resources we need to survive. It provides information about range, population size, habitat and ecology, use and/or trade, threats, and conservation actions that will help inform necessary conservation decisions.

What Can You Do?

Plant a native plant garden in your yard! One of the main reasons for declining pollinator species is a loss of habitat. If we all work together to increase native habitat in our yards, we can create a wildlife corridor that is dimensionally larger than a national park. There are 4 million households in California. Homes in California typically are about 1,650 square feet, if we all dedicated only 250 square feet of our yards to a native plant garden, that is over 20 thousand acres of additional monarch habitat. Here are some things to include in your pollinator garden: If you are in Ventura County stick to California native flowering plants. Narrowleaf milkweed, common yarrow, sages, coyote brush, and California buckwheat are some great options. Monarchs love milkweed, and the monarch caterpillar is able to eat 200 time its own weight in milkweed. You should also have some trees in your yard to provide the most beneficial habitat for butterflies. Consider planting a coastal live oak or valley oak if you live in California. You can order these and have them planted in your yard by volunteers from the non-profit Ojai Trees. Be sure to check Calscape - Restore Nature One Garden at a Time to make sure that the trees and plants are native to your exact location.