Just over 9,000 monarchs were counted in California last winter, the second lowest ever since the annual count began in 1997

Once, millions of monarchs wintered in California. But climate change, habitat loss, widespread pesticide use and disease have dwindled their numbers down into the thousands. Experts predict if action isn’t taken to preserve the butterflies, there is a 95% chance they’ll be extinct by 2080.

The Western population of the monarch butterfly hit a near-record low with fewer than 10,000 found living in California this winter, a foreboding sign.