Near-record low butterfly sightings force California officials to issue dire plea

California officials are begging residents to report any sightings of the state’s iconic monarch butterflies as populations are dropping to a near all-time low.The California State Parks Foundation asked Californians to document any monarch sightings ahead of the state’s Biodiversity Day.

“The data from these observations will help scientists understand where these butterflies are at different times of the year and will also help inform the upcoming 30th annual Western Monarch Count,” the group said in a press release.Biodiversity Day is celebrated from September 5 to September 13 and is an annual observance that is meant to celebrate California’s nature.Those who want to participate in the butterfly observing process can download the free iNaturalist app and upload a picture of the monarch they spot.

The Western Monarch Count’s most recent survey found that about 12,260 monarchs –– the third-lowest tally since tracking began in 1997 –– were recorded from late November through early December 2025 along the Golden State.“Western monarchs numbered in the low millions regularly in the 1980s.

The increasing frequency of record-low years heightens ongoing concerns about the health and stability of the western monarch migration,” the organization in charge of running the count said.Monarch butterfly populations have dropped significantly due to habitat loss, climate change and pesticides.

The butterfly was listed as endangered internationally by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2022 but has only been proposed as threatened in the United States.By 2080, the probability of the western monarchs being extinct is greater than 95% according to a Special Status Assessment....