GREENBELT, Md. — Hand-raising monarch butterflies in the midst of a global extinction crisis, Laura Moore and her neighbors gather round in her suburban Maryland yard to launch a butterfly newly emerged from its chrysalis. Eager to play his part, 3-year-old Thomas Powell flaps his arms and exclaims, "I'm flying! I'm flying!" Moore moves to release the hours-old monarch onto the boy's outstretched finger, but the butterfly, its wings a vivid orange and black, has another idea. It banks away, beginning its new life up in the green shelter of a nearby tree. Monarchs are in trouble, despite efforts by Moore and countless other volunteers and organizations across the United States to nurture the beloved butterfly. The Trump administration's new order weakening the Endangered Species Act could well make things worse for the monarch, one of more than 1 million species that are struggling around the globe. Rapid development and climate change are escalating the rates of species loss, … [Read more...] about The plight of the monarchs: Trump order weakens protections
Nancy kavazanjian
Monarchs caught up in rewrite of endangered species rule
Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press Updated 12:42 pm PDT, Tuesday, August 13, 2019 A monarch butterfly perches on milkweed at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., Friday, May 31, 2019. Farming and other human development have eradicated state-size swaths of its native milkweed habitat, cutting the butterfly's numbers by 90% over the last two decades. It is now under considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. less A monarch butterfly perches on milkweed at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., Friday, May 31, 2019. Farming and other human development have eradicated state-size swaths of its native ... more Photo: Carolyn Kaster, AP Photo: Carolyn Kaster, AP Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Image 1 of 20 A monarch butterfly perches on … [Read more...] about Monarchs caught up in rewrite of endangered species rule
Goodbye monarchs? Protection changes may imperil butterflies
GREENBELT, Maryland — Hand-raising monarch butterflies in the midst of a global extinction crisis, Laura Moore and her neighbors gather round in her suburban Maryland yard to launch a butterfly newly emerged from its chrysalis. Eager to play his part, 3-year-old Thomas Powell flaps his arms and exclaims, "I'm flying! I'm flying!" Moore moves to release the hours-old monarch onto the boy's outstretched finger, but the butterfly, its wings a vivid orange and black, has another idea. It banks away, beginning its new life up in the green shelter of a nearby tree. Monarchs are in trouble, despite efforts by Moore and countless other volunteers and organizations across the United States to nurture the beloved butterfly. The Trump administration's new order weakening the Endangered Species Act could well make things worse for the monarch, one of more than 1 million species that are struggling around the globe. Rapid development and climate change are escalating the rates of species … [Read more...] about Goodbye monarchs? Protection changes may imperil butterflies