Monarch Butterflies Fall 90% From 1990 Levels, Should Be Declared 'Threatened,' Conservationists Say

Monarch butterflies could disappear from North America unless more is done to protect their rapidly vanishing habitats, conservation groups told the Obama administration in a legal petition Tuesday. The filing seeks to list the monarchs as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act and designate "critical" areas across the country to guarantee the monarchs a place to breed and feed.