Conservationists: Tiger numbers rising, monarch butterflies near extinction

There are 40 percent more tigers in the wild than previously thought, but with a maximum of 5,578 on the prowl, they remain an endangered species, according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which has also classified the migratory monarch butterfly as an endangered species. 

The jump in tiger numbers is due to improved monitoring, with the population thought to be stable or increasing, IUCN said on Thursday, but habitat protection projects showed that "recovery is possible".

The tiger reassessment came as the IUCN updated its Red List of Threatened Species –– the world's most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of plants, animals and fungi, assessing their risk of extinction.

The monarch butterfly is now classified as an endangered species on the Red List due to climate crisis and habitat destruction.

And all surviving sturgeon species are now at risk of extinction due to dams and poaching.

"Today's Red List update highlights the fragility of nature's wonders, such as the unique spectacle of monarch butterflies migrating across thousands of kilometres," said IUCN director general Bruno Oberle.

"To preserve the rich diversity of nature we need effective, fairly governed, protected and conserved areas, alongside decisive action to tackle the climate crisis and restore ecosystems."

Tigers, monarch butterflies under threat

Established in 1964, the Red List counts 902 species that are now extinct, and 82 which are extinct in the wild.

There are thought to be between 3,726 and 5,578 wild tigers –– 40 percent more than at the last assessment in 2015.

While the tiger remains endangered, the population trend indicates that projects such as the IUCN's Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme "are succeeding and recovery is possible as long as conservation efforts continue," the organisation said.

Major threats include poaching of tigers themselves, poaching and hunting of their prey, and habitat destruction due to agriculture and human settlement, said the IUCN.

The migratory monarch butterfly, a monarch subspecies, is well known for its migrations from Mexico and California to summer breeding grounds throughout the United States and Canada.

The native population has shrunk by between 22 and 72 percent over the past decade, the IUCN said, with logging and deforestation having destroyed substantial areas of their winter shelter.

Meanwhile, pesticides and herbicides used in intensive agriculture kill butterflies and milkweed –– the host plant that their larvae feed on.

Climate crisis is also a fast-growing threat, with drought, wildfires, extreme temperatures and severe weather having a significant impact.

"It is difficult to watch monarch butterflies and their extraordinary migration teeter on the edge of collapse, but there are signs of hope," said Anna Walker, who led the assessment of monarchs.

"From planting native milkweed and reducing pesticide use to supporting the protection of overwintering sites and contributing to community science, we all have a role to play in making sure this iconic insect makes a full recovery."