Subscribe to WLJ
Advertisement
Environment

Lawsuit seeks monarch ESA protections

WLJ
Feb. 27, 2026 1 minute read
Lawsuit seeks monarch ESA protections

Monarch butterfly on switchgrass in Malan Waterfowl Production Area in Michigan.

Jim Hudgins/USFWS

The Center for Biological Diversity and Center for Food Safety are suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to set a date to finalize federal protections for monarch butterflies under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The monarch was proposed for protection in December 2024, making the final listing due in December 2025. “The Service must finalize monarchs’ protections from their threats, including and especially pesticides, which have been a major driver of their rapid decline,” said George Kimbrell, legal director at the Center for Food Safety and counsel in the case. “The Service’s duty is to protect monarchs not corporations.”

Share this article

Join the Discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Keep reading

Related stories

Read the latest digital edition of WLJ.

September 14, 2026