Govind Tekale
A critical moment has arrived for monarch butterflies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s December 2024 proposal to list them as threatened comes after their numbers have dropped dramatically over past decades.
Think of monarch butterflies as nature’s long-distance champions. Every year, they fly thousands of miles from Canada and the U.S. to Mexico, using wind currents like highways in the sky. The western monarchs take a different path, heading to California’s coast for winter. They pass this amazing skill down through generations – each new group of butterflies knows exactly where to go, like having an internal natural compass.
But this remarkable journey faces serious trouble. Andy Davis, who studies these butterflies at the University of Georgia, points out that many monarchs now fail to complete their migration. They’re either losing their ability to migrate or their will to migrate.
The problem starts with milkweed, a plant that monarchs can’t live without. It’s the only place where they lay their eggs, and their caterpillars need it for food. But farming, city growth, and pesticides are wiping out these plants. Climate change makes things worse by disrupting the weather patterns monarchs rely on for their journey.
The U.S. Forest Service has spent 25 years trying to help. They’re creating special paths for monarchs along Interstate 35, nicknamed the “Monarch Highway.” Picture it as a butterfly-friendly rest stop along the major migration corridor, with plenty of milkweed and nectar plants along the way.
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Scientists are using clever tools to track these butterflies. They’re placing radio transmitters on monarchs’ abdomens. Special towers called Motus towers pick up these signals, helping researchers understand where the butterflies go and what problems they face.
The effort crosses borders. In Mexico, where monarchs spend their winters, the Forest Service works with local groups to protect the forests where butterflies gather. The Department of Defense is helping too, using its 8.8 million acres of land to create safe spaces for monarchs.
Photo Source – USDA
Schools are joining the fight. Teachers in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada are learning how to teach students about monarch conservation through the North American Monarch Institute. It’s working – more people are planting milkweed in their gardens and helping scientists count butterflies in their neighborhoods.
This isn’t just about saving important pollinators. Monarchs show us how small changes in our environment can have big effects. Their declining numbers warn us about problems that could affect other wildlife and our broader ecosystem.
The solution starts in our own backyards. Anyone can plant milkweed and nectar-rich flowers. These small gardens create stepping stones for monarchs on their long journey, like creating rest stops on a cross-country route. By working together across North America, we can help keep this remarkable migration alive for future generations to witness.
