The Majestic Monarch Butterfly Has Increased In Population, Seen On Their Last Migration Journey

Source: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

Every autumn, it is well known that the monarch butterfly population makes their unforgettable migratory journey across the U.S. to the Mexican state of Michoacán and the Californian Central Coast. These majestic butterflies cover the trees like leaves made top of yellow, orange and brown colors as they make their way cross-country.

This black and gold pollinator is unique because it’s the only butterfly species that does a yearly migration travel of 3,000 miles in distance during October to mid-November that dazzles the sky with marvellous hues and blanketing trees and landscapes for a month or more with their beautiful colors.

Unfortunately, during the last 20 years, the monarch butterfly has suffered massive population declines. According to the Centre for Biological Diversity, they estimated that 682 million monarchs traveled the migratory journey in 1997. In 2014, this number fell to just 25 million of the species making the journey, although it improved in 2016 by 150 million.


The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation released a survey last January stating that the Monarch butterfly “declined to dangerously low levels” – about 80% in central Mexico and 99% in California’s coast. However this year, according to Better Home and Gardens, the beloved butterfly is once again making a comeback and is migrating in greater numbers that could have ever been predicted.

Viewers in the eastern migration route along Colorado were able to see a huge amount of the species as they made their way south for the winter. Colorado Parks & Wildlife captured a video footage last October showing dramatic numbers of butterflies relaxing on trees and bushes in a park located in the town of Lamar.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center also reported good news when the butterflies made their way to Austin, Texas last October 16. They fed on milkweed, which is abundant in Central Texas to fuel themselves for their long journey.

Yet while all this good news should be celebrated, experts are still urging caution. Communications and outreach director at the Xerces Center, Matthew Shepard has mentioned that research can only really take accurate population counts when the species is clustered together in their overwintering sites located in Mexico and California.


“At this point in the year, we won’t know how monarchs are doing in either the eastern states or the west. While monarchs are spread across the landscape, it isn’t possible to get an overall count, only a sense of how things are based on the number passing through a few scattered locations,” said Shepard.

The species could still be in danger of extinction with estimates previously made stating that the monarch faces a 50-75% risk of extinction in 20 years and a 65-85% risk in the next 50 years. Thanks to great efforts of organizations like the Xerces Society, the Center for Biological Diversity and many more, there is a great chance the the populations of this majestic butterfly is making a rebound all across North America.

 

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