The monarch butterfly is in peril, but it will have to wait its turn before federal wildlife officials move forward with listing it as an Endangered Species.
There are 161 other species in line that are facing downturns in population, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which has found that listing the orange and black migrators is warranted but precluded because of higher priorities.
The butterflies, pollinators that rely on the availability of milkweed – its specific food choice, migrate globally but make their way in droves to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge each fall.
A 12-month study, said biologist and USFWS Assistant Regional Director for the Midwest Ecological Services Lorie Nordstrom, found significant declines in both the eastern and western monarch populations.