GREAT BEND TRIBUNE More By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. Monarchs eligible for Endangered Species Act But, inclusion precluded by higher priorities Pictured is a monarch butterfly that was tagged at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center. The listing of the insect under the Endangered Species Act Listing for Monarch Butterfly is warranted, but there are other listings that are a higher priority. Beloved for their striking orange and black beauty and their annual trek across the Golden Belt, monarch butterfly numbers have plummeted in recent years. But, they will have to wait for increased federal protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday.