Four Florida species land on Last Chance list

Reporter: Stephanie Byrne
Published: Updated:
Monarch butterflies are now on the Last Chance list. (CREDIT: WINK News)

A report from the Endangered Species Coalition highlights 10 species in its Last Chance report and four of those are in Florida.

The species are imperiled due to climate change.

On the list this year are monarch butterflies, the diamondback terrapin, the Florida key deer and the elkhorn coral.

“This year, the monarch numbers have increased, which is a wonderful thing. Last year, the numbers were really, really poor, especially in California,” said Sherri Williams, the curator for the Florida Native Butterfly Society at the Butterfly Estates.

Williams helps to raise the monarchs.

While the monarchs at the Butterfly Estates are year-round residents, migratory monarchs face hardship from the use of pesticides, floods and droughts.

Williams said there are steps people can take at home to help the critters.

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