Western Monarch Population Count Underscores Need for Endangered Species Listing

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 29, 2026) — The alarming population numbers for the Western Migratory monarch butterfly, reported by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, emphasizes the need for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The Xerces Society’s annual Western monarch count reported just 12,260 butterflies across 249 sites. This count mirrors the dire numbers reported in 2025 and signals an urgent need for federal intervention.

“These significantly low numbers for the Western monarch population clearly indicate a continued trend of decline. To save the monarch before it’s too late, U.S. Fish and Wildlife should not delay any longer listing the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act,” said Dr. Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón, senior scientist for the National Wildlife Federation. “Now is the time to focus our collective efforts on mitigating the impacts of climate change, reducing the widespread use of pesticides, and protecting habitat. Only significant conservation efforts supported by federal regulations will prevent the collapse of this species. It is our responsibility to take multi-scale action to prevent this from happening.”

“A second year in a row of historically low numbers of Western monarchs underscores the importance of collaborative conservation for the species. Everyone can play a role to protect and restore habitat, reduce our overreliance on pesticides, and advocate for policies to help wildlife,” said Emma Pelton, senior conservation biologist at The Xerces Society. 

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