Researchers released estimates that suggest the North American monarch butterfly population has declined between 22% and 72%. Monarch butterflies are a migratory species and they fluttered a step closer to extinction on Thursday. Scientists have place the iconic orange-and-black insect on the international endangered list because of its dwindling numbers.
In 2016, the species was designated as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. An ecologist at Duke University said “It’s just a devastating decline, … This is one of the most recognizable butterflies in the world.”
The International Union for the COnservation of Nature tagged the monarch butterfly to its “red list” for the first time. The group estimates that the population of the species in North America has dropped between 22 per cent and 72 per cent over 10 years.
For more information about the source click HERE