Beloved monarch butterflies listed as endangered

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature said migrating monarch butterflies have moved closer to extinction in the past decade – prompting scientists to officially designate them as “endangered” (Nic Coury/AP/PA)

The monarch butterfly has fluttered a step closer to extinction as scientists put the colourful insect on the endangered list because of its fast dwindling numbers.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the migrating monarch butterfly for the first time to its “red list” of threatened species and categorised it as “endangered” – two steps from extinct.