In 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggested that the monarch butterfly be put on the endangered species list.

Since then, not much has been done to protect the iconic butterfly. Now, butterfly enthusiasts all over the country are sounding the alarm, saying the monarch is dangerously close to being extinct.

The monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable species in the United States with their orange wings and black border with white spots. The monarch butterfly is an icon of the pollinator community. But, in the last few years, its population has declined to dangerously low levels.

"The population numbers have decreased, I've heard, up to 90%," said Pam Spencer, a master gardener with the University of Maryland and the founder of the Maryland Monarch Conservation.

Spencer said there are four generations of monarchs that come each year. The first three live for a few weeks, but the fourth can live up to three months and makes a tremendous trek from the U.S. back to the colonies in the mountains near Mexico City.

"From here, it's about 2,500 miles, and I've had four successfully make it to the sanctuaries in Mexico," Spencer said.

Once there, the monarchs will hibernate during the winter until they make the huge trek back to the U.S. Lately, there have been a number of factors that are seriously cutting down the monarch's numbers.

What's affecting the monarch population? 'They're starving'

An increase in pesticides in the Midwest and in areas along the East Coast has devastated different types of milkweeds upon which the butterflies and other pollinators feed.

"The monarchs are able to make the migration, but they're not able to find enough nectar sources as they make that trip, and they're starving," Spencer said.

Logging in Mexico, increased demand for development in the United States and an unstable climate are also playing a role.

"One winter storm in those mountains while they're hibernating could wipe out the entire population," Spencer said.

Jennifer Selfridge, an invertebrate ecologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, said while there are a number of species that are in much worse shape than the monarch, it's conservation groups like Spencer's that are making a real difference.

"Listing in and of itself doesn't protect species. It's on-the-ground actions that really make a difference," Selfridge said.

Federal funding to protect monarch habitats

In fact, Maryland has received grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create habitats on state park lands and wildlife management areas for monarchs and other pollinators.

"We are using that funding to do a lot of planting projects, to do prescribed burns, to do invasive species control. So, all these things that will benefit pollinators and in the process monarchs," Selfridge said.

"It would be such a great loss to not have the monarchs," Spencer said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review the status of the monarch butterfly in 2024. If you'd like to take a closer look at the status of the butterfly and what you can do to help, check out the following links:

Watch the video above for the full story.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 turns 50 this year in December.

It protects species that are on the brink of extinction. A study by the Center for Biological Diversity found the Endangered Species Act has prevented the extinction of roughly 291 species.

“The intent of the law is to protect the whole ecosystem that the species needs to thrive,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. The center is a nonprofit conservation organization focused on ending extinction.

As a species declines in population, they are put on the endangered list.

“The bald eagle, the peregrine falcon, the American alligator, grizzly bears, gray wolves, so many species are still here because of the Endangered Species Act,” Curry said. “Eighty percent of listed species are moving toward recovery.”

While the Act has saved species and their habitats and allowed their populations to recover, critics are skeptical.

“A lot of critics of the act say, ‘Oh look, less than 100 species have ever come off the list’, but that's because recovery takes time. It takes time to address those threats, to prop them back up, and to get them the help that they need,” she said.

A 2019 report by the United Nations found that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades.

“All of this is happening because of habitat loss, development, invasive species, pollution, pesticides, climate change, and then direct exploitation of animals,” Curry said. “Wildlife populations around the globe have declined on average 69 percent over the last 40 years.”

Experts say the Endangered Species Act is just one tool in helping protect the planet’s biodiversity. For example, this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the Fender’s blue butterfly was down-listed from endangered to threatened under the Act.

“When we decide to protect a species and give it funding, it generally does recover. Extinction isn't inevitable, we can do something about it,” Curry said.

Small zoos come with a small staff, and amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, many of them are struggling.

The Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Massachusetts is struggling to afford the cost of feeding and housing zoo animals, especially with no money coming in.

The zoo sits on the southeast coast of Massachusetts on the way to Cape Cod. It's one of the oldest and most unique in the country, sitting only 7 acres in size.

"Everything from Asian elephants to small monkey species, otters, a lot of native species. A diverse animal population here that the community really loves,” said zoo director Keith Lovett of the animals.

It survives on city funds, fundraising, and like most other zoos, admission. Closing was, and still is, a tough financial hit. This is the time of year when Buttonwood makes the most money.

“Being in Massachusetts, we have a seasonality to our attendance and a lot of our fundraising events and well-attended events are in the spring and summer, so there are huge financial implications to that as well,” he explained.

Like other zoos, it's already an expensive operation. People have now been furloughed and positions have been cut. The staff is taking social distancing to the extreme. If anyone gets sick, there won't be anyone to take care of the animals. They're doing virtual events and online fundraisers but can't help but worry about the future.

“If this were to keep going for a few months, with reduced expenses we’ll be able to survive,” he said. “But when you start getting into several months, the second wave, then we’ll be much more concerned.”

Then, there's the breeding programs. Zoos move animals around a lot. But no one is moving anything these days, let alone a newly formed species.

“I will say that zoos are rethinking what animals they breed this year,” Lovett said. “The transfer of animals from zoos, part of the endangered species breeding programs, has basically come to a halt.”

That means your local zoo may be housing different animals when it reopens. As for Buttonwood, they've survived 125 years, and they'll do everything they can to make it to the next century.