Santa Claus and the monarch butterfly share a commonality.
Both are icons, easily recognizable. One may become extinct.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Dec. 10 its plans to add the monarch butterfly to its list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. If enacted, this would mean federal protections for Danaus plexippus.
A public comment period runs through March 12. A final decision could come sometime in 2025. (See https://www.fws.gov/initiative/pollinators/save-monarch)
“The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle. Despite its fragility, it is remarkably resilient, like many things in nature when we just give them a chance,” Fish and Wildlife Director Martha Williams said in a statement. “Science shows that the monarch needs that chance, and this proposed listing invites and builds on unprecedented public participation in shaping monarch conservation efforts.”
The monarch is currently found throughout much of our world. "In the Americas, the monarch ranges from southern Canada through northern South America. It is also found in Bermuda, the Cook Islands, Hawaii, Cuba, and other Caribbean islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Australia, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira, continental Portugal, Gibraltar, the Philippines, and Morocco. It appears in the UK in some years as an accidental migrant."
"Overwintering populations of D. plexippus are found in Mexico, California, along the Gulf Coast of the United States, year-round in Florida, and in Arizona where the habitat has the specific conditions necessary for their survival," Wikipedia continues. "On the East Coast of the United States, they have overwintered as far north as Lago Mar, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Their wintering habitat typically provides access to streams, plenty of sunlight (enabling body temperatures that allow flight), and appropriate roosting vegetation, and is relatively free of predators."
It does not appear on Santa's sleigh.
Attached Images:
