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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Montanans can help keep monarch butterflies off the endangered list

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Monday, November 25, 2024   

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide by early December whether to list the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act.

Wildlife experts say the iconic monarch has cultural as well as ecological value, and they're encouraging people to get involved in helping the butterflies during their migration.

There are two routes the monarchs take in the fall, from Canada to Mexico - one over the central U.S, and the other over western states, including Montana.

Mary Phillips, the head of the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife and Certified Wildlife Habitat programs, said the numbers are down for both groups - but are especially alarming in the West.

"Right now, the count is down to 233,000 butterflies across more than 200 sites in the western area," said Phillips. "So, the urgency around this has really intensified."

The monarch butterfly population has declined by 90% over the past two decades.

Phillips said in addition to its cultural significance in Mexico, the monarch is also critically important to the world's ecosystems, and protecting its habitat is key to the butterfly's future.

Beyond their sheer beauty and complex migration abilities, Phillips said the iconic monarchs could presage the future for other critical pollinators, so keeping them off the endangered list is critical.

"They're kind of the canary in the coal mine, if you will," said Phillips, "and they've really flagged the significant effort of habitat loss, climate change, and overall ecological ramifications."

Phillips said backyard gardeners can help the butterfly by planting milkweed in yards and gardens, as well as asters and goldenrod species, that provide nectar stopovers for the monarchs on their long migration to Mexico.



Disclosure: National Wildlife Federation contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species & Wildlife, Energy Policy, Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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