Californians urged to report monarch butterfly sightings – NBC Los Angeles

The California State Parks Foundation is asking residents to report monarch butterfly sightings in an effort to support ongoing research into the species’ whereabouts.

The request comes ahead of California Biodiversity Day, observed Sept. 6–14. The foundation is encouraging the public to download the free iNaturalist app, photograph monarch butterflies or their caterpillars, and upload their observations.

According to the foundation, millions of monarchs once visited the California coast, but their numbers have dropped significantly in recent decades. Scientists cite climate change, habitat loss, pesticides and disease as possible factors behind the decline.

“The western monarch butterfly is an iconic species for our state,” said Randy Widera, director of programs at the California State Parks Foundation. “Californians have a key role to play in the preservation of this species, from helping scientists track where the butterflies are located to advocating for the protection of their habitat.”

Data collected through the initiative will help scientists better understand monarch populations and their migration patterns throughout the year.

In January, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation reported a peak overwintering population of 9,119 monarchs — the second-lowest count since tracking began in 1997. Fewer than 2,000 butterflies were counted in California in 2020.

A recent Species Status Assessment Report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service predicts a greater than 95% chance of extinction for western monarchs by 2080.

The California State Parks Foundation supports monarch conservation through habitat restoration projects, volunteer programs and management plans for overwintering groves. The organization also advocates for the butterfly to be listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.