Regulatory Alerts

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is an iconic butterfly, well-known around the world due to its striking physical appearance, global distribution, and long-distance migration patterns. Within the continental United States, monarchs occur in at least three populations, including the two migratory populations (western population, eastern population) with the Rocky Mountains acting as the general divider, and a non-migratory population in south Florida.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed designating 1,635,746 acres as critical habitat for the endangered rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis).

On October 10, 2024, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) voted that listing the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) may be warranted throughout its entire range in California. This vote means that the species advances to candidate status under the CESA. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will conduct a one-year review to gather the information needed by the Commission to make a final decision on the CESA listing.